Reviews

a kinda cute hot mess

Yuu's father deserves a sound thrashing. The entire craziness that is this movie is because of him. If he hadn't told Yuu that nice boys are actually bad choices for her then maybe she would have had more self-confidence. And if Rin hadn't taken daddio's word as gospel, well, maybe he would have the flirtatious and teasing kind of cute instead of the bullying and master manipulator that he spent 90% of the movie being.

Loved Sho Hirano as Rin (even when I wanted to throttle him) and Kentaro Ito as Saeki. I had SML syndrome for awhile, but I think in the end that Saeki and Yuu's best friend might actually be a good match. They were kinda cute.

In the end, I don't really know what I think. But when two people are messed up, well, what are you going to do about it? I didn't hate it, and the end had me smiling, but it was a long journey of annoyance, frustration, and pent-up anger. And because I hate being manipulated, I really hate girls who allow boys to manipulate them. I spent almost 20 years being manipulated by my former best friend, and yeah, it's not a fun feeling. Since Rin actually doesn't seem to be that person at heart, I hated that he ended up acting the bully for what I think is no good reason.

It just occurred to me where I've seen this done better. "Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge" has the message of self-improvement down pat, has a heroine that actually can stand on her own two feet, a boy who bullies but only goes so far, and a happy ending that makes sense based on their individual personalities. Plus the ML isn't the one who conditioned the FL in this drama. She was a serious mess before he ever met her, and because they met, he actually helps to develop her confidence rather than shrink it. Does the girl really need to change? At the end of the day, not really, the important thing is that she learns to love herself and the ML learns to love her the way she is too. It's fun without being abusive. Oh my gosh, I forgot how much I love Sunako-chan and Kyohei-kun!

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BEST KOREAN THRILLER YOU'LL EVER COME ACROSS

Usually, Korean Thriller movies lose the plot towards the end but this one doesn't.
Right from the bat, it's bang on.
A focused plot is like a clean slate.
Each and every minute is a hell lot interesting to watch.

The plot isn't baffling, it's based on surveillance but the execution and theme predominantly rise up the movie to another level.
And on top of that combine it with the acting of Jung Woo Sung and Han Hye Joo.
Voila Perfection achieved.

The only reason I've given this a 9.5 is the ending.
And once you watch the movie you'll get the reason.
Don't miss it.
It's as real as it gets.
I enjoyed it a lot.

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The korean version of New Year’s Eve

Star studded cast?Yes
Good acting?Yes
Predictable plot? Absolutely Yes

Coincidentally, i watched this movie in new year’s eve, and this movie served what every holiday movies need to : a heartwarming stories, (lots of) eye candy, simple plot, and ultimately giving warm to audience who watched it. There’s no surprise element in this movie, everything went predictably, maybe for some people it would be boring. But hey, there are times when we would be craving for this kind of movie.
So, if you are really want to relax, or need some holiday vibe (or maybe you’re in the airplane LOL) i will highly recommend this movie for you. Don’t think too much, just enjoy the ride

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“SOFT”

I feel “soft” sums this drama up well. Ji woo is instantly annoyed by the superstar because of their differing backgrounds. He believes he’s nothing but a pretentious superstar and takes everything he says as offense. But this doesn’t stop Seo joon from showing immense kindness. He also sees through Ji woo’s tough exterior and falls for him quickly. This moves Jin woo of course but he’s reluctant to get involved due to his past heartbreak.(I felt he liked him from earlier on also, he notices he has a hearing issue and looks out for him) Seo joon, being the sincere, forward and understanding character he is, has patience with him until he comes around. It’s a really sweet love story.

I love how they continued the character of PilHyun from “Where Your Eyes Linger.” That was a nice touch. The cast had a lot of chemistry as well which was nice to see in the behind the scenes clips. Woohyun is not only a total babe but he’s literally the same outgoing, friendly and social being as his character.

This also has one of the best kiss scenes from the very few BL dramas (Viki originals specifically). That last scene was… oof

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Goodlook Asia Fantasy Movie, Kai Ko make strong comeback, Gingle Wang pink hair is really so pretty!

This movie just hit the cinema in my country (You can check your country It's been shown in many different countries on different days.) It's a fun fantasy movie, even though it's 2 hours long, Kai Ko and Vivian Sung performances are really explosive, It's great One of the strongest Asian actors but Gingle Wang is too little on screen!! but this one is really worth watching. The Ost is very nice, highly recommended!

Story : Aaron (played by Kai Ko), who was killed by lightning, came to the underworld, and all his memories before his death returned to zero. He has to make a choice reincarnated but may turn into a snail or take up a priesthood, accumulate Yin virtues and reincarnate as a human being? Aaron decides to become a newcomer to the old moon. He partnered with Pinky (Gingle Wang), a hot pink girl, and came to the world to perform a mission, When Aaron met the dog Alu and led his owner Xiaomi, he was in a previous life. The memories of XiaoMi (played by Vivian Sung) are all back and Aaron hopes to help Xiaomi in the world to find a new marriage, but every red thread tied to Xiaomi hands has been burned! It turns out that some things will not change in 10,000 years.
At the same time, Guitoucheng (played by Umin Boya), who escaped from the underworld to the world, launched a bloody revenge operation and found the horse thief brother who betrayed and killed him five hundred years ago, While Aaron was still excited about Xiao Mi inability to tie the red string, Guitoucheng regarded XiaoMi as the next target to destroy.

10/10 highly recommended The song is very touching. These actors, this show is the bomb. They are great and complete the story

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Will This Movie Serve As Your ‘ Hero’?

Kim Hong Ik attempted to ride off the coattails of the crazed vampire genre phenomenon during the early 2010s with ‘ Hero’; an intriguing but sporadic and low-budget vampire flick which will likely intrigue and unintentionally amuse viewers of equal measure.

The plot revolved mainly around underdog high school student Shim-dan (Kim Hyung-Gyu). Together with his best friend Eun-seok (Han Jeong-woo) , the duo are often tormented by relentless bully Cheol-seung (Kwak Min-ho). Nevertheless Shim- Dan has found salvation from his daily torture by trying to avoid Cheol-Seong wherever possible. Instead the main lead spends time watching his secret crush Mi-ah (Lee Da-in) ; too scared to approach her directly and often watching her from afar out of intrigue .

However Shim-Dan’s ordinary school life soon takes a different turn. One evening he ends up attempting to rescue a drunk girl Yoo-ri (Han Ye-won) from being assaulted only to discover she is a vampire. Rather than killing him Yoo-Ri decided to spare his life by turning him into a vampire also. Desperately trying to hide his newfound physical changes and abilities from his classmates , Shim-Dan’s secret becomes harder to keep after the transfer of Yoo-ri as a teacher at the school.

The acting in the series could admittedly be a mixed-bag. The main cast undeniably had natural onscreen chemistry together. However line deliverances could admittedly differ between scenes also.

Kim Hong Ik’s ‘ Hero’ is a vampire movie evidently aimed at a younger audience. Graphic violence and blood is rarely exposed in the series and thematic themes surrounding everyday high school life certainly indicated towards the audience’s aimed age demographic. Nevertheless it is important to establish that ‘Hero’ was surprisingly not based upon lighthearted and soapy teen-angst either. The greatest drive of the movie was arguably served through the comedy; alternating at times between professional satire and amateurish jokes. However sadly the alternation between professionalism and amateurism could often be seen in the screenwriting also.

One of the greatest problems which arose in Kim Hong Ik’s movie could often be found through struggling to establish a concise plot goal from the outset. Perhaps if the movie had tempted to place an obtrusive focus on simply Shim- Dan’s new life as a vampire and his gradual romantic relationship with Mi-ah, ‘ Hero’ could’ve felt as though it had a direct and clear plot beginning, climactic build and resolution throughout the movie. However sadly this was not the case with the outcome for ‘ Hero’ ‘s depicted plot line.

Intriguing relationship builds initially introduced such as between Yoo-ri and Shim-Dan were often abandoned by the halfway point whilst potentially quintessential characters were often left hung up by abandoned subplots before the halfway point. As a consequence entire sequences and seemingly built up scenes were often awkwardly cut through or flitted to another scenario in an attempt to draw viewers’ attention to another storyline; often feeling like a diversion tactic to reduce focus upon loose plot ends.

By the ending of the movie it was evident that even the screenwriters were aware that the plot had been exhausted due to lacking foundations setup from the start towards plot drive. The “solution” was given by the screenwriter by the finale of the film: enter the generic vampire final boss. Whilst arguably this scenario was a desperate attempt to clutch at wrapping some loose plot ties up, the ending felt sporadic and rashly thrown together to raise tension. However rather than acting upon coherent logic, it was odd that somehow all of the quintessential characters of the film were put under one roof without h rhyme or reason towards truly coming together.

A consistent problem which became apparent in these final conflict scenes became apparent through poor fighting sequences; looking neither consistent or slick onscreen.

Of course it is wrong to entirely condemn ‘ Hero’ also. One of the greatest writing dynamics of the film came through the friendship between Shim-Dan and Eun-Seok. As the movie progressed and events shifted it became apparent towards the natural causes of division which would occur between the two friends.

In addition to this there’s also the relationship between Mi-ah and Shim-Dan. The chemistry between both of the main leads was dynamic and gradual. It could’ve admittedly have been built up more but it did add a touch of surprising authenticity towards a main lead who struggled with his bloodlust towards his crush. Even Mi-ah had her moments of added complexity at times in the movie with her home life revealing that she struggled with her own problems also.

Several plot holes aside there is the OST also. The chosen soundtrack isn’t inherently dire per say but considering the mood and tone set during scenes it could often feel mismatched against storyline and taking away the deliverance of emotion, when silence could’ve delivered a greater result at times also. In addition to this there’s the amalgamation of the quality of filming in the series; low-budget but sometimes cinematic and at other parts in the film, arbitrary and rushed scenes added before the final-cut gave an amateurish feel towards the delivered result.

Overall ‘ Hero’ proved to be an intriguing premise with a decent cast and ensemble of characters. Nevertheless whilst the film delivered a compact conclusion, the added touch of lacking to wrap up loose plot ends didn’t deliver a truly emotional finale to the film. Amateurish screenwriting combined with filmmaking created a haphazard film filled with unexplored potential; entertaining in a way but never truly possessing concise build or plot either.

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A fun throw-back to those crime capers of the 1960s like Ocean's 11

A fun, campy action movie that feels like a throw back to those crime capers from the 1960s. Go Hyun Jun is perfect as Chun Soo Ro, the wallflower protagonist who gets sucked into the middle of a double-crossing drug deal by a fake nun, hilariously played by Jin Kyung who makes the most of her all-to-brief screen time. Yoo Hae Jin is great as "Red Shoes", the menacing man of mystery. (His hair should've received its own screen credit.) It's hard to imagine Detective Sung being played by anyone other than Sung Dong Il, who is as bombastic, snarky, and short-tempered as ever. The rest of the cast is good too, and everyone seems to be playing their part with a twinkle in their eye. The OST contains some magnificent big band & orchestra arrangements that accentuate the throw-back feel. This movie would be great fun to see on the big screen with the volume turned way up!

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Did I watch the same movie as everyone else?

I'm seeing reviews about people crying at the second half of this movie and I'm just a little lost for words because the movie I watched was just so...mediocre? It was certainly a nostalgic and light-hearted rom-com, but overall the plot points and the characters are just really cookie-cutter and cliche. The two second leads are also considered main roles but were not really given adequate personality or character development.

I also could not handle how many times the main female lead had to trip over her own feet — I understand the clumsy aspect of her personality, but there are different ways to do it. Seeing the exact same thing happen so many times grew old very fast.

With that being said, there are more quiet, thoughtful moments in this movie that really stood out to me, and I wish the movie let those moments shine through more.

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A tearjerker

This is a movie about silver linings. I really did not expect myself to shed so many tears over this movie — but I sobbed throughout it, especially the second half.

I was expecting a really depressing movie where it was just one tragedy and no good parts one after another, but there was a surprising amount of hope and friendship in this that made it really beautiful to watch. The two leads had amazing chemistry and really heart-warming dialogue and it felt like the main focus of the movie, as opposed to the bullying moments. I actually felt like the bullying situation at school and beyond wasn't fleshed out very much, but I think this actually worked in the movie's favor for the most part.

Overall, a really really beautiful movie that will make you ugly cry :)

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This would've worked out better as a full fledged movie.
The story was an actually excellent one involving very wuxiaish tropes. From what I observed, it follows of a young disciple whose parents are killed off by a mysterious cultivator. She is adopted by her 'Shifu' for whom she develops ardent feelings for.
I loved the soundtrack used for the short film. It can be called a rather short music video rather than a film. Some of the actors were unconvincing and this seems to be an independant creation. I appreciate the efforts that they took. It was all over in the blink of an eye.

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would have loved more

trigger warnings: imprisonment, strangulation

This was kind of odd, both in the sense that it is 4 minutes long and that it feels like a trailer. So much so that I had to like, triple check that I wasn't watching the trailer for this very thing.

Short films like this often make me hungrier for a larger work (looking at you 2019's Kiss of the Rabbit God). The game attempt by the director and team here to just like, try to fit an entire web novels plot into 4 minutes is pretty solid but there is just too much plot for that little amount of time (this is also why it feels like a trailer).

A comment on the video I watched said something about how if BL can do the toxic master/disciple relationship so can GL and honestly, go for it girl. I just hope that there are more longer form works down the pipeline.

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It feels like I was listening to a lovely song

This has been one of my most anticipated Korean movies ever since I saw the Cast line-up. So, I finally watched it and this totally reached my expectations. Infact, I feel empty now. I wanted more of this!

A Year End Medley is simple yet overwhelms us with a bitter-sweet pleasure.

The movie starts from a full festive vibe where Seo Kang Joon is singing the Christmas song "Jingle bells, jingle bells… jingle all the way…" and everything is in like a happy to go state. Everyone can be seen gearing up for Christmas and finally when Christmas comes, we come across the other side of the coin. When most of the people are excited for Christmas and New Year with their friends or families, there are yet many people who have their own problems and loneliness to deal with… that's when this takes us on a "little" deeper ride but as the year finally ends, gladly everyone finds a "New Hope" in their life. It's like inspiring us to keep going on.

There are actually 5 different stories which are intermingled to each other. All characters were lovable. Yes! No negative or annoying character which makes this such a light watch. My favorite character was "Sang Hoon" (acted by Lee Kwang Soo) ~ a selfless, dedicated manager who supported a singer when he was in his down, he could have left him and signed up someone else but he became his pillar and made him a big star, when he was really popular, he didn't even try stoping him from signing into a bigger company so that he can get more opportunities. I loved how selfless and caring he was. They had a brother like bond which was truly precious to see. Infact, all 5 stories were special in their own way.

The Cast was the major factor that attracted me here and they all did a great job acting their own parts especially the Old duo – Lee Hye Young ( as Katherine ) and Jung Jin Young ( as Sang Gyu ) were great presenting a touching love story. It was the top notch acting that made this movie more memorable.

The best part of this movie is that it made us experience so many wide emotions in just two hours. All 5 stories gave me something. Then, the OST. Beautiful songs that match the situations. I didn't even realize how fast my two hours went and I was already done watching this movie. It's like a smooth ride perfect for a evening watch. I watched it alone this time but I would like to rewatch this with my family later…

Overall, just a bunch of ordinary stories wrapped up in colourful flavours which should be watched at least once.

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A thinking-person's movie!

I started watching this movie and noticed how SLOW it was...it was like having a toothache and the dentist looks in your mouth and just looks...and looks...and looks...

After observing the two, I wanted to tell her, "Tell him you like him!" but she didn't; then along came the tragedy! Same thoughts on the male lead as well.

I am thinking as the movie continues, what isn't going? Then it hit me!

Both kids are shy and have trouble communicating their feelings; as if their inability to tell each other their feelings is part of the movie itself. I then remembered young Hirahara Yu (played by Miyazaki Aoi) and her conversation with herself after kissing the boy. The boy's reaction is also quite indicative of young Yosuke (played by Nagayama Eita) that he as well is not well-versed in communicating with young girls in society.

Both actors were good at saying a lot with little dialogue, and I thought about all the missed opportunity for the two to come closer to each other. Both actor/actress portrayed the insecurity of young teenagers unable to express themselves in a personal, social situation.

Cut to a later time period in a bigger city...

Again, the two meet (quite accidentally, or was it by fate?) and start reminiscing about the past, and the older Hirahara Yu (now played by Nagasaku Hiromi) embarrasses the older Yosuke (now played by Nishijima Hidetoshi) about a typical 'boy' ritual that he performed late at night in his youth, when he thought no one else was around to see him! They also realize that they both wound up in the same industry as well.

The older Yosuke had not forgotten the promise he made the younger girl at the time of the tragedy back in their small town, and yet before he could fulfill his promise, another tragedy struck! I was so upset: he comes this close to fulfilling his promise made years ago, and he is going to die before he does! So I thought...

The ending though was both anti-climatic, yet climatic at the same time; I never thought that it would end this way, since it took so long. When the act happened, I felt of rush of emotion, forgetting that I was watching a movie.

Both actor/actress portraying the older main characters also kept the feeling of their inability to express themselves in a personal, social situation going in the second half of the movie. Good job both sets of main cast members!

The supporting cast assisted in the main cast's portrayal of the story quite well; special kudos to the criminal (Ryō Kase) for his brief but important two scenes in the movie.

Until recently, I never paid that much attention to music in a movie, but the little music in this film helped set the mood at the appropriate times..

The cinematography was also excellent in this film: the use of light and dark ( and black and white) helped set the appropriate mood for the scenarios, along with the music. I especially like the shots of the small town and then city to differentiate between the two worlds the two main characters are operating in for both parts of the film.

I never read reviews before I watch any movie; yet after watching other Japanese movies. they sometimes use this what I call "delayed action" technique for saying more than if the cast members talked; however, I still feel frustrated until i get the 'gist' of the movie down so I can truly enjoy it. It can make the movie very thrilling if timed just right, which the director of this movie does.

The overall message, to me, is NOT to put off saying what you wish to the people around you; it may be your only chance!

RE-WATCH VALUE: Occasionally...

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