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very slow for a drama with such short episodes
Initially, I thought that the drama would be rather fast paced considering the fact that it only has 22 episodes. Yet, the pacing was sooooo slow, you only get to see them together towards the end of the show, with 5 episodes remaining. Their time together also didn’t make the wait worth it. There were many push and pull moments, and it was rather ridiculous when it was very obvious that they had feelings for each other. If they didn’t, then what they did would feel very uncomfortable when he had kissed her twice before they enter a relationship.The ML’s character was annoying in the beginning, where he was the typical jerk who was kind of rude. However, just a few episodes in, you’ll actually notice that he was the sweetest one in the show. He’s kind, and always thanking the people who had helped him. I’m glad for his character development or I would have disliked his character. On the other hand, the FL’s character did not change throughout the show, and her character kind of annoys me.
To be honest, the casts lack chemistry. At a point in time, I actually want them to stop kissing because it doesn’t even give me the feels. Instead, it felt very unnecessary. Their love for each other doesn’t reach me too, it feels a bit superficial and just not the type of feeling I receive from seeing a couple.
Towards the end the show tries to rush every single thing in like 2 episodes? Where the annoying jerk, ML’s friend found his true love, and ML’s sister suddenly confesses to FL’s friend. Everything just felt so rushed and ridiculous when they could have paced it properly to add in all these couples from the start.
Overall, this is quite a disappointing drama after a long wait. As much as I like Zhao Yi Qin, I didn’t enjoy this drama. It may be good for people who doesn’t really care for plot and is just here for a slightly cute and funny drama. :)
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This is one hot mess! So confusing!
Umm… this drama is a hot mess! Literally! It jumped around and did not run smooth or make sense. The story was lacking so much! If my review sounds confusing… it is all because of this drama!!!! It messed with my brain. I think it made me confused… haha!!But No, seriously… if you read my review and are confused well… that is exactly how you will feel watching this drama!
Storyline - I could tear this entire drama apart bit by bit and explain how it is confusing. I will only list the worst of them… from the description listed… it did not match up with the story that was told here. In the first episode I was like… um where does she “fall in love and confess to him and get rejected?” How is she his personal nutritionist, for years mind you, when all she did is cook one meal and then is let go because it was not the same as he remembered? And what is with the anorexia bit? Why did he have it and how to solve it? I was confused from the first episode. And her 12 yr old self and the age difference when they get older makes no sense… she aged yet he did not? How about… she disappeared for years yet he spent time with her parents and knew them even through her first time travel yet he could not find her? Her amnesia in 2024… she cannot remember him and her parents are even confused as to her loss of memory and they don’t recognize him??? She wakes up a year later at the end and… what? What FREAKING HAPPENED?!?!?? Confusion to the max! And the villain was no better. I am so lost, lost, lost…..
I could sort of understand what they wanted to accomplish here but it just was not executed properly or written well. I just don’t understand why they even released this drama for us to watch. Why?
Acting/Cast - I really think they could have done better with a MUCH better script/story. I have a hard time knocking them down because in all honesty I think they did their best with what they were given.
Music - was great! Loved it. Just wish the drama was better.
Rewatch - umm it is a definite NO!!! Don’t waste your time.
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STORY:
- I haven't read the manga, but I felt like I've seen this before. NOTHING NEW. Typical female character that wants to get that one man no matter what.
- This specially felt like "Itazura na Kiss, season 2" remake. Sakura is basically Kotoko 2.0. Even though I love Kotoko, I don't get what Tendo saw in Sakura. She is so pushy, loud and annoying. Also, why did she kept calling him "Sensei" when they are in a relationship? (ONE OF MY BET-PEEVES)
- Second male lead syndome is REAL right here. Kisugi is the ideal man.. JUST WHY? I truly hoped they focused more on Kisugi and Sakai. oh well..
- Nishi and Ryuko's story-line was pointless. Instead, I would have loved to have more development on Kisugi and Sakai's story-line (THEY HAD POTENTIAL COME ON)
_ What I enjoyed the most is the medical stuff. Doctors and nurses were on point and these scenes were really heartwarming.
ACTING:
- Sato Takeru was on point (AM I SURPRISED? NO). My man's smirks just.. wow. Also, as a doctor, he did great as I always expect from him.
- However, Kamishiraishi Mone, idk but I don't think she was the best. She is just so LOUD, but also looks young that it kinda made me uncomfortable seeing her with Sato. I haven't seen any of her other works, but I would love to see more of her because I like her energy.
- The rest of the cast did an amazing job. I specially would love to see more of Maiguma Katsuya's works! He did so well!
P.S. istg this drama has the most amount of kiss scenes I've ever seen in a Japanese dramas! That was nice! JAPAN GET IT.
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I never would've thought that I could like a drama about people in their 40's but after watching this I can (without a doubt) say that I was SO VERY WRONG. This is realy one of the best dramas I've ever seen. From hilarious scenes to heart breaking ones - everything was outstanding.
The story about four 41-years-old men might seem boring and etc. but it's not even similiar to what you might think at first. For people to stay such a good friends for more than 20 years seems impossible but these men take friendship to the whole new level. From playing starcraft together (LOL) to leaving everything because something happened to one of the four seems so amazing. And even from the screens they make you wish to have friends like that because it feels like with them you don't need anything else.
The females of this drama are also very strong so it's even more amazing. And there aren't any anoying ones (well, at least for me there weren't) that everyone hates. They are ALL fantastic characters.
This was the first drama I've seen that had prologues at the beggining of the every episode,too. They are so amazing to watch. You just laugh and you can't stop laughing. It's one big LOL. xDD
Oh, right there were also guests like SooYoung and YongHwa. ^. ^
So, the last thing I want to say is that this is REALY amazing drama and you should definitely watch it. It's realy good if you want to laugh and laugh, and laugh again ;) ;D
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AN UNINTENTIONAL LOVESTORY
From high school heartbreak to time travel, this is a very exciting romantic fantasy that will get you hooked from the very beginning and even as the series progresses.
It's been a long while since Kris last starred in a BL drama and I can tell that in BE MY FAVOURITE that he has made an outstanding comeback.
The series is interesting because of a number of things which I am going to point out in detail.
First and foremost, the chemistry of the main leads is very outstanding and can instantly be felt from the very beginning which I admire, Be my favourite touches the spot rather than rotating around in circles which doesn't make it too confusing.
Secondly, since TRIAGE aired back in 2022, it has another element that I have been very eager to see in another THAI BL DRAMA which is TIME TRAVEL which is not much of a cliché, besides the series does away with a lot of our high school BL LOVESTORY STEREOTYPES because this I feel is one of the first mature dramatic plots that have been executed where characters act with some degree of emotional depth rather than psych.
I was about to scream wild ever since our second main male lead FLUKE delivered a heartthrobing performance as a support character in NOT ME the series UNAR and I can't help but keep falling for him in almost every scene.
He adds a tone of humour to the series and self realisation, while he is equally the outgoing type of person I admire his role of being the charmer that he is.
There's also the cliffhanger effect which though rare in a number of BL TROPES, BE MY FAVOURITE seems to have adapted it much better than a number of other series, generally, as there are yet a number of more episodes to air, the best that I can say is that this series has delivered a remarkable message that even mature lovestories are very sweet and the fact that the love between our main characters is unintentional but progressive with every scene, it doesn't get too boring along the way and the pacing seems to hit the spot just right.
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realistic conflicts & great character dynamics
I can't believe it took me this long to find this series, but it's honestly become my favorite BL. My favorite part of it were the conflicts, and how realistic they were. The portrayal of homophobia with Jeng's team differs from other BLs, where homophobia is either seemingly nonexistent or is overly dramatized, instead showing the everyday normalized homophobia that gay men face. The relationship dynamics, both with Joke and Zo and Jeng and Pok were so well developed and allowed for great character development as well. The family dynamics in this series also hit close to home and left me bawling. Zo's mother doing too much and Joke's father not doing enough when it came to showing up for their sons left them both feeling like they weren't enough and reflecting their parent's efforts back at them. The series also did a great job in showing the theme of forgiveness all throughout it, even in the instance where it showed when forgiveness is not deserved in the case of James and Nita, a conflict which faithfully portrayed one of women's struggles in modern society. Overall, this series was full of angst, though it never seemed to be simply for entertainment, but rather as a reflection and portrayal of real-life struggles.Was this review helpful to you?
The story is heavily focused on the influence of political corruption on familial relationships and high school life. Hardly surprising from a show called 'Angry Mom' because the drama is very much about anger and the intense emotions and conflicts of being a mother. The drama is by no means 'realistic' - you have to watch with this in mind, things are of course going to be exaggerated for dramatic value but nonetheless, there are little hints of truth in everything.
But be not afeared, it's not all doom and gloom, the writer is absolutely brilliant at weaving in comic relief. I lived for those hilarious moments among the darkness that seemed to envelope every character. The thing that struck me the most when watching the drama was the character progressions. Each main and significant secondary character had their moment to shine and develop. This is simply not a one-woman show about a mock-heroic attempt to enact justice on behalf of the weak and unrepresented. It is a drama about developing awareness and tackling the problems head on with others. Problems simply do not go away if you do nothing about them, and it is up to you to make a difference - but also, the fight is not a lonely one. It is all about creating honest relationships, maintaining them, and working together to achieve the ultimate goal. This drama is filled with poetic and moral messages that make you realise that this was very much a writers piece. The directing was also great, but for me, the writing was just the star of the show.
The cast were also perfect for this drama. I have never seen Kim Hee Sun act before but my god, she can act. Her portrayal of this loving mother with a troubled past trying to protect her daughter was just so brilliant to watch - and you just can't help but love a strong female lead. She has shown so much versatility with her emotions that I cannot help but admire her and look forward to her next project. All the other cast members - villains and all - were all very well acted and I have nothing but praise. When an actor makes me hate a villain with great intensity, it means that they're doing a pretty darn good job at acting convincingly. I cannot write this without mentioning our breakout star Ji Soo, I don't think I know anyone who dislikes Go Bok Dong. He was a bad guy with a soft heart and I think everyone will have a soft spot for him. This was a wonderful breakout project for Ji Soo and it clearly displayed his potential. There are so many others who I want to mention and praise, but I think the one who left the strongest impression on me was Kim Hee Won - Ahn Dong Chil. I could never get myself to hate his character, and boy, Hee Won was perfect for Ahn Dong Chil. He begun as such a complex character and it was a real treat to see him unravel and in some ways, peel off the hardened layer bit by bit to see what he was truly like. I cannot go on without spoiling so I will leave it at that.
As much as I want to give this a perfect 10 just for sheer enjoyment and roller coaster ride over the past 8 weeks or so, I felt like it just missed the mark. I set the rewatch value slightly lower because I don't think I can handle watching this again because some aspects of the drama just make you angry. It's not about the execution of the drama itself, but the cruelness of reality really kicks in at times. But saying that, I will always be happy to skim over to the fun, adorable, and out-right hilarious moments for sure :)
Overall, I am very happy with how this drama went. I definitely recommend it because it provides a lot of food for thought for how we should view life and our experiences that will definitely be worth considering!
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Some Romance but more life challenges in an office setting spolighting women in the workplace
The office scenes and situations were quite well portrayed and the idea of everyone RACE-ING constantly to some unknown was also well portrayed. While there were good examples of toxicity in the workplace it was good that they showed hope for positive workplace initiatives as well. The show felt mature in that sense.It is rare to find a drama without truly annoying characters. There were unlikable characters but none truly annoying to me. I especially enjoyed the lack of female characters who disrespect other female characters. In fact, women uplifting and supporting women is one a compelling theme for me.
The relationships also had a similar feel. We saw the tough parts but also the supportive friendships and colleagues. I did not really “feel” the romance between the main leads. They did, however, have wonderful friendship and a deep connection which I appreciated. I also appreciated the attempts further normalize diversity in the romantic interests (same-sex, age-gap etc). Most importantly (for me) was a SML that wore his heart on his sleeve in his personal and professional life.
The music was wonderful as well and “Waterfall” of course is my favourite. https://youtu.be/4h-DAdMTECU
The overall feel of the drama was a decent mix of rom-com and pertinent societal issues. I would have rated this higher if it was in the mood for thoughtful drama content. I was not ready for it to make me think as much as it did. Plus the main couple romance… so even though the suggested is 9, I'll go for 8.5.
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Untapped Potential in 'A Good Day to Be a Dog'
A Good Day to Be a Dog" offers an engaging story, yet there's a lingering sense that something crucial was missing, potentially in its direction. The narrative catches interest but doesn't fully satisfy, as if some key elements in the storytelling or progression were overlooked. This feeling of incompleteness leaves one wondering what could have been if these aspects were better addressed or given more attention.Despite this, the main characters stand out remarkably, imbuing the series with charm and relatability. Their likable nature and dynamic interactions are the heart of the show, making it special and memorable. However, a desire for more depth and detail persists. Expanding on the characters' backgrounds, motivations, or the world they inhabit could have significantly enhanced the viewing experience, making it not just enjoyable but truly captivating.
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Each character is written with a lot of care. We delve deep into their back stories, and I find myself cheering on each one of them, and crying with each one of them. The lessons each character learn are hard but realistic. The show takes you on that journey of growing up.
If there is one thing I dislike about the story, it is the Park Tae Hee character. Yes she's the typical female lead - ditzy but really sweet, cute and talented, but can I just say how annoying I find her. Otherwise, the rest of the cast was just perfect, especially Jo Jung Suk and Im Joo Eun.
The soundtrack is quite unique compared to other dramas - fewer romantic ballads, more fist-pumping songs that make you excited to be young, aspirational and full of dreams.
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1001 Reincarnations
This was put on my list because of Hani Kezi as I had seen her in Ultimate Note and she impressed me. I wanted to see what she'd be like in other genres. I was unfamiliar with the rest of the cast. This was a different type of reincarnation story than what I have seen and it didn't have a "Final Destination" vibe which I don't like. It was 1001 Reincarnations and in each episode to boot.Pros: I enjoyed HK's appearance here as Ashina Yueling or YL. The ML or SY who is quite new as he just graduated from the Beijing Drama Academy a few days ago, but he was able to handle both the soft and hard aspects of his character. The martial arts were on point and that was probably my favorite portion. How many times one died or they both did started from episode one but it evolved with not just them returning to life thwarting any assassination attempts but also gave them the ability to see the future. In the end though YL I think sacrificed her life unnecessarily when the emperor was in danger as there were a zillion soldiers standing around essentially forgetting there was still an enemy in the room, the no longer supposedly working jade pendant that had brought them to life with their life blood, now needed a tear from SY for its last act that brought her back to life. I really liked the tacit understanding between the two main brothers (SY and the emperor); stupid second brother finally understood family was more important than pride in the very end. The story developed nicely; he caught feelings first but she wasn't far behind. I also like how they incorporated HK's actual national heritage into the show. HE for 3 possibly 4 couples; one with kids and one pregnant. Though I liked YL's brother and SN; I felt he was too stupid for too long and she was the brains and pants in that relationship. The costumes and the few sets were nice as was the music.
Cons: Ultimately there were really two antagonists but they weren't really giving me the vibe of pure evil. The uncle cackled and of course you know how I feel about that. I rolled my eyes and waited for his death. The general who "killed" YL was an afterthought loser and I wish they hadn't brought him in. There of course had to be a gorilla glue character (whom I ffw'd as much as possible) that was obsessed over ML but ultimately because she was poisoned, when she recovered, she forgot who he was altogether. This script had a lot of cringey aspects and the ending felt kinda rushed and all over the place. They really didn't share much about the close relationship between the emperor and SY which would have been great but I understand they had to focus on the leads and their 1001 reincarnations thanks to fate bringing them together and their pendants that were always meant to be together. I do wish YL didn't misunderstand and pout as much, that's my only gripe with her.
Would I recommend it? This is a low budget, new faces drama but it's good for when you have nothing to watch. I'm perfectly ok with it; give it a chance.
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But one thing I don't like about this dramas is BaiLu's wig
(She wearing wig because she cut her hair short when fliming Asenal Military Academy
and this drama was fliming after that)
One wig with every single scence in the dramas...really? work, sleep, dating, and even the wedding scence!
but fine, she still adorable and I love her anyway. so 10 points for BaiLu!
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Lost its purpose
So I watched the namesake k drama just last week for the first time after I saw that this is a remake of that. So I'm just going to compare both and give my opinion.Revenge plot: K drama did it better. Even another k drama with the same story 'Perfect marriage revenge' did the revenge plot better. Here the whole purpose of being given a second chance is defeated because the Fl is still too soft for her own good and overly trusting and forgiving! Ugh she was murdered because of these very traits the first time and she didn't learn anything new in her 2nd time in the J version unlike the K versions!
Only place she shines is the meeting with the parents which is similar to the k version and very satisfying to watch! Otherwise she still seems like a pushover who needs the ML and his sis to come to her rescue everytime... :(
J drama makers need to stop showing evil people getting forgiveness in the end! They always tell that they are evil due to their circumstances and hence deserve forgiveness no matter how many innocent people they have hurt and don't regret! They even showed a son(ML) simply forgiving a lady who killed his mother for property in another drama! Ughh...
They don't understand that by showing such nonsense they are insulting millions of other people who are in a similar bad situation or had even worse childhood than these evil people but still chose to follow the right path and remain as good individuals without hurting others! So no, it's not about the circumstances, but it's all about individual choices one makes to follow the right path or not! So good people deserve praise and bad people punishment not forgiveness!
Acting : Both k and J dramas have stellar performances, especially J villain lady was fab! She totally creeps you out! Lol
Music : I generally don't notice the music in dramas but here it was actually so good that I noticed it.
So basically for me the J version's only plus point is its short length, unlike the endlessly long k version especially towards the end the fiancee story was a drag there, here it's short and crisp. If the j version had the proper revenge plot too, then it would have been 10/10 but now it is only 7.5/10 for me.
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STORY:
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This is definitely not a linear, progressive story-telling... Or is it?
Confused? That is the general approach in its story-telling. It will not serve you all the details in a silver platter, the build up is a deliberate messy like from episode to episode just when you have a theory in mind, it gets thrown off the window on the last scene of each episode. You will get that feeling that you know what is the story but somehow it does not fit watch you are watching and yet you keep watching it?
That is the allure part. At the end of episode most probably you will be scratching your head. You might been tempted to watch episode 1 again to check you are watching the very same series. It just makes no sense, and you will be left wonering: Have I been click-baited? But that is the beauty and originality of this series.
This is a jigsaw puzzle where pieces of it are given to you in terms of what is being said, how they dressed, and even the hairstyle. It is all in the details.
Episode 5 is the big reveal. If you are patient enough and reach that episode, you will get an idea what has been happening all along. Both Rossi and Meen raised their acting level skill here, especially the former. Been a while since I felt what they are feeling. Watch out for that runny nose and teary eyes!
Alas! The finale. It will not only play with your head but also with your heart. But after that roller-coaster episode 6 ride, your heart can take it easy.
ACTING/CAST
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Rossi as Mork - His main asset is his eyes, there are moments that as if they are the ones talking to you. This is not his first project with MindTrio and if you got the chance to watch "Once In Memory". There are 2, each short movie showing one side of the characters. Rarely I watched those kind of series/movie. It is such a breath of fresh air.
Meen as Tiew - Don't be fooled with this classy clothes, captivating smile, as it can break your heart in an instant! He started in Calculating Love a 2020 project of MindTrio and when this aired, he also appears in Oh My Sunshine Night. Honestly, I can not remember his part in the 2020 series either his role was not this significant or I was too focused on Quin and
New - got to watch this fellow also in Calculating Love, the curly hair, imperfect teeth, who acts awkwardly and yet you can feel his confidence does not scare to bare it.
MUSIC
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Nothing significant that could stick to the mind
REWATCH VALUE
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For a mystery type of story, once you figure the answer, then it is no longer a mystery. You might watch to check if there were hints and pieces that were given away early on. But I generally do not re-watch.
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Other than that, the story was cute and I enjoyed the love story, although it was predictable. As for Jaemin, I wasn't really expecting him to be good, but his performance was decent, although he didn't give me the cold male lead vibes. Rather, he was cute and the kind you wanted to protect.
So, 6 out of 10 for this short drama.
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