The acting of Kimura Takuya as usual was great. I guess I have to say that I am an official fangirl of his!! Even though this is an older drama and it does not focus solely on romance, it is still a really, really great story! Well worth the 10 hours to watch!!
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The actors really improved a lot with their acting skills. War can really show the characters emotions through his eyes. The professionalism he showed during accident in the pool scene was really awesome. Yin really improved a lot. I was amazed.
Music also hits the right spot.
I'll be rewatching it again and again. Just seeing the leads smiling at each other makes me smile.
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hidden gem?
While I realise that this is a GMM series so it can't really be a hidden gem because it was WILDLY popular at the time it aired, this series to me was first not really that appealing.In fact I disliked the first episode so much I dropped it for a year and I didn't think I would be coming back to it. But here we are!
Disclaimer: I did watch most of the episodes at 1.5x speed.
I quite enjoyed the story, although there were some plots that weren't necessary for my enjoyment imo. Some of the scenes dragged on and on and some good editing could've helped the episodes flow better. Most of my complaints are minor and bearable if you know thai BL. Plus it also hugely improves watching everything in at least 1.25x speed and only slowing it down for the emotional scenes. Speaking of which: the emotional scenes are amazing! The acting from both couples was great and tugged at my heart strings.
I really liked the cast as well! Shoutout to Louis <3 !
All in all, I'm glad I watched it but it's not mindblowing and I won't be rewatching it.
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Enchanting and mentally stimulating artwork, great in every aspect
The first drama I've watched (and rewatched) from the first to the last second, intro and outro included. Excellent direction, pacing and balance between suspence and distension, care for details, lights, settings, camera frames...The plot is apparently simple: after discovering his ex is missing, an underdog (blogger with passion for investigations nicknamed Da Hui Hui) starts to suspect she was killed by a renowned ceramic artist and a rising young prof (Zeng Jie) with "tending to perfection" as his Leitmotiv. DHH befriends a policeman (Li De) who believes "only in evidence" and initially doubts his "logic behind truth" (which is also the name of DHH's blog-channel) but is intrigued by his sense for details and deduction methods based on clues, assumptions, leads and circumstantial reasoning. Their explicative dialogues are intermittently inserted in action scenes regarding mainly the life and the personality of the artist DHH intends to "debunk" and DHH's flashbacks regarding his ex. Gradually, DHH discovers that behind the well-cured image of a sophisticated artist "tending to perfection", self-confident and socially respectable person, ZJ is an insecure person, womanizer, social climber and money-grabber in an unhappy marriage with a rich woman who helps him to maintain the respectable image in public, but belittles him in private, triggering his terror of poverty and aggressivity. The life of this couple (and in particular the life of ZJ) is meticulously scrutinized and displayed through numerous flashbacks, containing incredible findings, twists and clues, steadily complicating the story, like drops of rain gradually enlarging the crater and flowing further on.
Fluid elements are omnipresent and aesthetically excellently employed: the rain scenes, the ocean light effects in DHH living room/studio, close shots of intoxicating liquids being poured in glasses... conveying the sense of slippery, of danger, of a vague dream and making us doubt of what we see. To pay his tuition, ZJ painted countless copies of Monet's "Sunrise, impression" - ofc. the choice of this painting wasn't casual: its unique haziness inhences the sensation that the reality we see is just a blury vision of what impressed us the most.
All scenes are perfectly lighted and staged, cured in details, often set as theatrical stages with all actors performing great. But there's ONE...
UNFORGETTABLE scene: ZJ's monologue, brilliantly delivered by Wang Duo, in the shed where he painted Monet's reproductions. Young and poor ZJ gets drunk for the first time. He has just won his first important award and heard that his hard-working father was celebrating it with his colleagues in a distant place where he worked. He buys a bottle of cheapest booze, returns to the shed, gets stoned seeing the sea from the painting pouring down and talking to himself, disjointly commenting who knows what (the painting, his poverty, his parents' unreasonable ambition?), creating the following couplets: "Harmony blending light with dust/ Dust blinding my vision /Vision blurred by arrogance". That's the moment in which we realize ZJ is a true artist, he is not just posing as one. Vulnerable, desperate and drunkly aware that recognition seeking will be his curse. A rare moment in which he is truly himself, not pretending. Smth truly memorable, a must watch scene.
The choice of music is not extensive but is good, in particular the melanchonic song in English.
Ofc., there were certain "blemish flaws" even in such a "tending to perfection" drama. The story covered a good part of ZJ's life but left certain "tiny holes" (why his parents were so ambitious, expecting from him to sacrifice everything and everybody, even them, for success? his inspirations and creativity remained blurred, as well as his relation with the older rich lady in a moment of his crucial characterial transformation...). The ending report of trial verdicts was totally unnecessary. Besides, one in particular, containing a HUGE legal error, got on my nerves. Hand-made reproductions of famous paintings ARE NOT ILLEGAL as long as the original work is in the public domain (and all Impressionists' works are sufficiently old to be in public domain), and can be legally copied, even for sale (ofc. as copies not as originals, selling them as originals would be a fraud). So, the sentence inflicted to the painting village was not only unnecessary but silly, laughable! Whoever added those sentences misinforming about the legality of this line of work should be fired if not sent to serve exactly the same punishment.
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As for story. It's not something special, it' s the same triangle, same love problems, same truth. It's no different from many books, films and even dramas. But what I can say about the story it's that it intrigues and catches attention. For me crime story was less interesting than love story. And to contradict with the negative reviews. I don't know why people said that there is no final point in the crime story. It's been resolved! Why can't you see it? It's real life. Never will you find a man who will tell you about whos and wheres, in real life you must think, you must decide for yourself because you will never know the truth. In real life there are people who have feelings that influence the decisions and the life itself. What I liked about this drama is that it's fictional, but it's fiction about life. There are no perfect people, there are no crystal clear stories. There are no bad guys. If the realtionship fails there are 2 people to blame at least. And this drama shows us once again that to make it work, to save love, you have to make decisions, you have to make choices, difficult ones. I liked how every character is unique and has it own approach, thoughts, desires. I hate that people don't see beyond the destiny of these characters. Jo Sung Gyeom is not just a nice guy. Didn't you see his progression? His pain? His desire? His lost love? As for Nam Sang Hyo and her crying. I'd like to see you in this situation. The situation when you don't know what is better or who to choose. The situation where you relive all the best moments of your life and you know that it won't happen again. And you feel pain and loss and regret and hope that is killing you. If it's so simple for you, then human feelings are simple too.
Acting was superb. I may be a little biased. I like Yoo In Na. I think she is the cutest actress, but at the same time she is believable. The greatest quality of hers is that you beleve that she's in love. Her story with Jin Yi Han you could see the love in their eyes, moves, voices. I felt the love in the air! Jin Yi Han was my discovery. I'm dying to watch something else with him in the main role. I fell in love with his eyes. So expressive! And his dialogue in the episode 14, I rewatched it and cried, it was so true, so real and so heartbreaking! And finally Nam Goong Min. I adore this man! He is fantastic. He played his character super well! I dream of the main role for this guy, because he is worth it. He is candy for eyes and balm for a sad heart.
Music was awesome, it fits the drama and the spirit. Appreciated the music a lot.
Rewatch! I will rewatch it when I will need some time to evaluate my feelings and to see a silver lining.
This drama is not for fun, it's a serious drama about relationships, about hardships, about taking into account your feelings and feelings of other people. It' s just life.
So I will advise to try it and give this drama a chance. It may seem repetetive. But actors, story and emotions are worth your trying, Don't drop this drama and have your own opinion of this work. It's a beautiful love story that I'd like to cherish.
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This review may contain spoilers
A gripping journey to love, friendship, and growth
"A Journey to Love" is the last drama that I completed in 2023, a few days before the new year. Initially, I was thinking whether to continue after 8 episodes, because I had a vague idea of the ending after seeing some comments in passing. I decided to carry on, and I'm glad that I finished it!Story and Production:
1) The storyline is intriguing and not very common since a big part of it is focused on the mission to rescue the hostaged King of Wu (Wu Di), the obstacles the rescue team faced along the way, and how they overcame them. As a result, their relationships grew stronger and they gained a better understanding of each other. On the side, there were some mysteries that needed to be solved.
2) There is great camaraderie and friendship among the Liu Dao Hall members. It's touching to see their loyalty and brotherly love for one another, as well as their commitment to protect Li Wang/Yang Ying and the entire rescue team.
3) The drama showed different kinds of relationships – leader and subordinate, master and disciple, friendship among peers, and love between man and woman. These are common in costume dramas, but I think they’re well done here.
4) It took the rescue team quite a number of episodes to finally arrive in the state of An, so I found myself getting impatient at some points in the drama.
5) There are incredible fight and battle scenes here! The choreography and stunt work are great, and the cast look so cool and amazing in these scenes.
6) Generally good soundtrack! My favorites are the opening theme, “Offer” (奉上), sung by Liu Yu Ning, and “Standing Sword” (立剑), sung by Zhang Jie. I also like the background music played in some of Ren Ru Yi’s fight scenes; it’s a haunting prelude on what’s to come next.
Cast of Characters:
The entire cast was great, I like the main leads, but my favorites are Yu Shi San, Yang Ying, Li Tong Guang and Yuan Lu:
1) Ning Yuan Zhou (Liu Yu Ning) and Ren Xin/Ren Ru Yi (Cecilia Liu) – Both their characters have excellent martial arts skills and are respected and feared by many. NYZ is level-headed, mature and a good leader. RRY is precise, appears cold and can be ruthless, which fits her character as the number one assassin of An. Between the two, NYZ was more used to working with a team, while RRY was more used to doing things on her own. When RRY joined the rescue team, it took her some time to adjust to “group work”. I couldn’t imagine other actors playing them.
2) Yu Shi San (Alen Fang) – He is funny, witty and a vain ladies' man. He gave me a good laugh many times! Alen Fang is such a revelation here, and his character is so different from the one in The Long Ballad (can’t help comparing them, because Liu Yu Ning and Alen Fang are in both dramas). He’s so good in comedy, but also delivered in the emotional scenes.
3) Yang Ying (He Lan Dou) – She transformed from a timid, shy young lady to a confident, smart, brave and decisive Li Wang/Princess Li Cheng. What she said to NYZ and RRY about herself is very fitting, "You have transformed a small sparrow in a cage into an eagle; I can no longer go back." I like He Lan Dou’s portrayal, she’s so good, and one of the few actresses who, when dressed as a man, is actually convincing.
4) Li Tong Guang (Chang Hua Sen) – He is capable and ambitious, but also obsessed and unpredictable at times. His character is complex, multifaceted, and have a lot of potential for growth and development, but I feel these were not maximized. They focused too much on his obsession with RRY. I think Chang Hua Sen nailed the part.
5) Yuan Lu (Chen You Wei) – He is a smart, loyal, jolly and kind-hearted fellow. It’s easy to warm up to him. Chen You Wei was able to bring out these qualities.
--- Some SPOILERS below ---
Some OTP/Pairings:
1) Ning Yuan Zhou and Ren Ru Yi – They are the power couple! Their relationship was not perfect, there were some amusing things that happened and bumps along the way, but they got around to it.
2) Li Tong Guang and Chu Yue – I was rooting for them since I can feel their chemistry, although they were hostile to each other in their first few meetings. And when they started to be cordial to each other, they had some sweet and cute scenes, so I was hoping for a love line to develop. But alas, the ship didn't sail!
3) Li Tong Guang and Yang Ying – In the earlier episodes, I had entertained the idea that they might be paired together, but I was still mildly surprised when it happened (I guess I was still reeling from the LTG and CY pairing). Don't get me wrong, this is a good pairing and they have chemistry too, so I started to ship them as soon as I feel the plot going in that direction, because they actually complement each other. Both LTG and YY are smart, capable and ambitious. However, LTG is temperamental, impulsive at times, and not yet mature emotionally; while YY has a cool head, emotionally stable, and has matured a lot in her journey. She would be a great help to him in his role as Regent of An.
4) Yang Ying and Yuan Lu – Theirs is a friendship that was comfortable, supportive and dependable. It could possibly have been more, but it was not meant to be.
Other Comments:
1) I like the development arc of Wu Di, how he changed from a reckless, arrogant, and unwise ruler to one who realized his mistakes and actually did something to atone for them. He could have been a great king if he returned to Wu, so it’s a waste what they did to his character.
2) The ending and the last few episodes could have been better executed. It's like they rushed these scenes and tried to cramp the remaining details to fit them into 40 episodes.
3) I wish they included more scenes of LTG and YY in the ending, how they progressed as a couple and how they’re helping the young King of An. There is mutual respect between them, not to mention respect for both RRY and NYZ. I would like to think that in the long run, they would fall in love with each other and grow as a couple, even have children of their own.
Final Verdict: This is a gripping drama and a good watch for me, so I would gladly recommend it!
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So who was the best example in the film to show how a real man should act? It was Genji's father. Damn! I so love the old man.
Rival gangs are always not my cup of tea when watching violent movies but CROW ZERO II worked on me. BIG TIME. There was still a lot comparison from the first movie and so many differences, yet it still worked. It was still as good as CROWS ZERO I can get. If not the best it is really GOOD. Oguri Shun still got to me that he now holds a real special place in my heart. His character as Genji-san shall never be forgotten.
The soundtrack was perfect even for the fighting scenes. I love how they have incorporated the music in crucial moments. That's one thing that I love with Japanese films, they use the music in the right moments.
Although there was a tiny speck of dust that I didn’t like in the film, it still made me understand that without it the whole new story for CZ II will not start. So I am letting that go.
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You get drawn into the romance aspect of the drama pretty quickly, but don't worry-- it's not an overly sappy, boring love story. It has a few cliches here and there, but not in the negative sense. The business aspect of the drama is equally great.
The acting, music and overall storyline were well above average and very enjoyable. The last few episodes were very up and down and nearly had me change my view of the entire series, but thankfully it ends on a very happy note.
All in all, if you're looking for a lighthearted, somewhat short drama that involves a good balance romance, business and drama, you won't be disappointed.
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Drama Special Season 13: Nineteen Otters
10 people found this review helpful
Gems hidden in a pile of rocks
I really liked some of the stories, especially the ones about characters who were living in desperate situation, and had to make desperate decisions to stay alive. The comedy episodes were unfortunately very boring. I didn’t find the behaviour of the characters funny at all. I am surprised that Silence of the Lambs won the contest because it didn’t really build up to any climax, and the story felt very flat to me. The Steam was probably the most complete story, with suspense and plot twist to keep me watching. Unfortunately, the idea has been done before. Perhaps my favourite is Strangers or 19 Otters. The plot lines were interesting and original.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I Only Watched This Because of Li Fei
First things first, I only watched this because of Li Fei. Big shocker, I know.Despite everything looking cheap and/or fake, the voices being a tad annoying, and the story being super simple, I liked that the episodes had continuum . I have watched other dramas with similar episode count and length per episode where they just jump all over the place and I am left wondering, "how did they get there?". This did not happen with this one. The acting was okay-ish and it's definitely not a masterpiece. However, if you are looking to pass the time, need something for background noise or so unserious you'll go from laughing to rolling your eyes, this is it. I know I had a few moments where I thought, "what the hell am I watching?" Also warning, it's an open ending and it says that it was season one at the end, but in September 13 it will mark three years since the drama ended and there is still no second season.
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Even though Yoonhee was the focus of the movie, her daughter, Saebom, was a scene stealer. I found her interest for film photography is a nice element to this film! I love her attention to detail. Her mom knows everything she doesn't tell, and I think that Saebom is alike. The trip that she prepared for her mom was probably the best gift! It's a heart-warming movie. I personally love the ending, character development and the cinematography.
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PROS:
- amazing action scenes
- the perfect main couple
- cute side couples
- a lot of drama
- a little comedy as well
- keeps you interested up till the last episode
CONS:
- irritating villans
- creepy brother
- some missing parts to the story... a lot was said or done that was never really discussed later on
This lakorn is definitely a must watch for the main couple. After watching Kleun Cheewit I never thought I would ship Mark with someone other than Yaya but Kimberley and Mark are perfection as well! They give off the feeling of a couple thats been together for years, where you can feel the love just by the way they look at each other. I'll definitely be looking into other projects this couple has done together.
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Very educational, relatable and relistic
I live in South East Asia. Online bet, illegal online loans, love scams you name it, is an occurring problems an epidemic that really wreck havoc in many household. Like in this movie they showed an guy from an upper middle class, very well educated but got an online gambling problem. Meanwhile in my country this online betting disease is targeting lower class, this movie trying to say that online gambling will targeting at everyone regardless their economic background or social background. What's insane is that, China have a very strict internet control and online betting, scamming is still happening in the country. Imagine where the internet is not so regulated. Boom an epidemic. Also some of the workers who went to work in those "factory" are also victims of human trafficking. Some were aware that they're going to work in that kind of place because they have no other choice for work. Very sad.If you say this is a chinese propaganda kind of movie. I mean, the Chinese police really did and go to SEA to get these workers. It's all over the news.
The acting are sooo good.
Many people should watch this for educational purposes and awareness.
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Good revenge plot mini-show with a twist
This is actually a very good revenge mini-show. The storyline is quite simple, and yet not. What starts off as a revenge story turns out to be a sweet love story too. I liked that take on an otherwise rather normal cheating and revenging plot. There are a few plot holes and unanswered questions left after the show, but none that ruins it.Character wise we have a FL who due to a meteor storm switches souls. The new soul is a strong woman and she decides to take revenge for the body’s owner who was cheated on with her own sister. The ML who is self absorbed and disloyal if it suits him cheats on his wife.
There is also 2ML who is clever and considerate. He is the one who steps in and helps FL get her revenge. The 2FL (sister) is a cunning and low self esteemed woman who wants to destroy or take over everything her sister has.
Acting wise this is pretty good and the actors do a great job in the limited time-frame.
So, if you are into revenge-plot and a little romance, this is well worth watching.
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Until I Destroyed My Husband's Family
10 people found this review helpful
Revenge is a dish best served with green beans
Let's be real. Could I resist a series called " Until I Destroy my Husband's Family"? Nope, I couldn't.Otto no Katei wo Kowasu made may have been a low budget series and may have gotten a bit draggy towards the end, but no one can deny that it was entertaining.
Matsumoto Marika is splendidly overacting from beginning to end, as many of the actors and actresses in the series. I may have not read the manga, but the drama definitely had the right vibes. The plot itself was entertaining for the most part, even though there were some predictable moments, especially if you have watched similar series in the past. The ending was not that great, writing-wise, but it was good enough. Lastly, thumbs up to the people responsible for the music (♪ Galileo Galileiii ♪)!
In simple words, Until I Destroy my Husband's Family is an entertaining revenge drama, that would definitely benefit from less episodes, a higher budget and a better written ending.
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