Reviews

This is a lovely drama.

I would very much like to review it in its own right, i.e. without comparing it to the original Korean version, but I found out it's impossible for more than one reason. First, because the majority of those who loved You're Beautiful were biased towards this remake from the look of the actors alone and didn't even give it a chance; second, because ironically my having watched the original made me appreciate this version a lot more. Therefore, I'll set my usual policy aside and write a comparative review.



I liked Ikemen Desu Ne more than You're Beautiful in many respects.

Despite having kept the plot almost untouched, the Japanese made some subtle changes to this drama which results in a completely different feel to it. This version has a younger look; although the Korean actors were in the same age range as the Japanese when You're Beautiful aired, the first looked somehow older. The aftereffect is that while Ikemen feels like kids playing kids, You're Beautiful is about adults being childish.



Because the Japanese remake lasts half the time as the Korean, they had to condense the original story and cut a good number of scenes. As it seems, they decided on cutting mostly on comedic scenes and secondary characters. I have missed some truly hilarious parts of the original, but at the same time I'm happy they skipped some and didn't linger on aunts, fans, managers and the like.



But what really made it for me is the female lead character. Mio is a sweet, generous girl out of her element, dealing with her firsts: first experience on stage, first friendship, first love. While in the beginning she unwittingly makes mistakes, she shows strength of will and some pride, which makes it easy to connect with her. Go Mi Nam was a über-humble klutz in the beginning and remained such till the very end, a trait which I personally found irritating to say the least. The fact that the biggest part of the comedy in YaB derived from Go Mi Nam's nth mishap made me very happy the Japanese decided to show a girl a little less frustrating and hen-pecked.

This leads me to the male lead. The difference is quite notable too. Ren starts as haughty and impatient, but shows his true colours very soon. He's a softie. The tormented relationship with his mother is stressed upon in this version, so that his yearning for affection and eventually falling for Mio comes out as very natural. Tae Kyung, on the other hand, is an arrogant young man who learns to think about others too. But we have to wait until the very last to see his transformation and even then he can't do without a couple of bravados or two.

This is why I loved Mio & Ren as a couple, while I barely tolerated Mi Nam and Tae Kyung.



The other "angels" grew on me. They may not be as good-looking as the Korean, but I believe they played their roles well and I refuse to start a debate on the most undebatable issue on earth: taste. As a group, the Japanese A.N.Jell look more like friends than their Korean counterparts. The relationship between Ren and Shu (Tae Kyung and Shin Woo in YaB) is better explored in IDN and I truly liked to watch them fight for the love of Mio.



I have a hard time rating the music. Some songs are the same as in the original, but in Japanese. I didn't care much for them and I think the Korean sang and executed them much better. On the other hand, I truly loved the instrumental music played in between songs. The piano piece is lovely, and used in just the right scenes.



This review has been long enough. I felt the need to write it because I think it's unfair to judge it without watching it to the end and I always get fired up when I read commentaries like "they are ugly" or "they can't compare". If you think you're an unbiased watcher and you like young dramas, give Ikemen Desu Ne a try. You may end up liking it more than expected.

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I wanted a romantic comedy to watch but I wasn’t too sure about the storyline. It sounded just plain weird to me…

Story- Really funny in the beginning but does get a bit dramatic towards the second half. The twist involving the female character kind of weirded me out but I guess it made the drama more interesting? I don’t know. While it was something I hadn’t seen before in a drama, I felt uncomfortable at times because it brought the quality of the romance down for me. After episode 12 it did get to be a bit draggy and when the end finally came it was welcomed=)

Acting/Cast- Love the leads. They had a really great chemistry. The acting by the female lead was outstanding. I'm a new fan of hers. Kim Rae Won was Kim Rae Won, not bad but not outstanding either. I didn’t like the supporting characters at all. They were too meddlesome. Park Shi Hoo was quite forgettable in this one.

Music- Very good but not something I will listen to outside the show.

Rewatch- I would watch this again b/c i loved the leads but not for a while cause the story was so average.

Overall this is your average romcom with a twist.

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I really liked this drama. One reason is because I've been searching for exactly this story - reverse roles of the usual drama where the girl is the innocent, sweet person and the guy is the cold, self-centered one. I also liked it because none of the characters were morons or annoying IMO.

Also, it had kissing. I haven't really seen Japanese dramas having skin contact much, and that kinda annoys me. This drama didn't have that anime feel to it either, which I like sometimes, but I know alot of people who don't like Jdramas because of that comical way they talk and stuff. Oh yea, I liked the ending ;D

Overall, I would recommend this drama to all. It was nice to watch. Blah... now I want to find a similar drama!

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I love these dramas! Nappeun namja is the brilliant production. Really, I wish I Had noticed the actor - Kim Nam Gil. I've fallen in love with his role. I'm not surprised that all girls love him. The fabulous guy! He had had difficult life, but this has shaped his character. The crafty plan for Heashin Group.. and nobody noticed! The all Hong family have secrets... Mo Ne is definately similar to her mother and Tae Ra... how she could... with her brother.. do... these things.

As to relation between Jae In and Geon Uk, I like when it wasn't called love. Then it was unique.

Hmm.. I think about Moon Won In character. Who was her stylist?! At the beginning I though she had been a boy!

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I started on this drama mainly because of Song Joong Ki since I've been a big fan of him ever since Sungkyunkwan Scandal. And I'm mighty glad I did. I was pleasantly surprised to find that without adhering to cliched Kdrama machinations or plot developments it was able to keep the viewer entertained throughout. The acting by the entire cast is honest and mind-blowingly good especially the 3 leads. The stories of the patients, their suffering and human moments moved me to tears at times. Although I feel a few of the guest stars or patients over-acted at times but that doesn't undermine the overall seriousness of the drama. Coming to the romance part, it was delicately portrayed. The development of the relationship between the leads and Hye Young's friendship with Jae Suk give the viewers some truly memorable moments.

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After watching this drama it's left me with a smile on my face (: I've seen a handful of Taiwanese dramas, so this one was not my first - but it's become my favorite one out of them all. I haven't read the manga, haven't seen the anime, and haven't seen the Korean or Japanese version. Basing my review solely on this version and what I think of it, here goes: I loved loved loved it! It's a nice break from your usual stressful or sad drama. It's a lighthearted fun-filled drama about first love. There's not too many stressful or drama filled parts, are though there are some scenes that had me tearing up - but mostly because I was happy for the characters.



The acting was great! Joe Cheng and Ariel Lin had great chemistry! Also Jiro was one of my reasons for watching this drama, and I loved him in his role as Ah Jin.



I loved the soundtrack - downloaded it actually (: All the songs grew on me while watching ISWAK. From "Say That U Love Me" to "Practical Joke" - loved them all!



I don't think I'll rewatch ISWAK anytime soon, but I can see myself rewatching it again later on (:



Overall - I think it's a great watch! If you're looking for something light and funny with a touch of romance: watch it! I know 3O episodes seems like a lot to go through, but I found that my time invested in this drama was well put. The episodes are around 45 minutes long, so it's not too bad. I found myself sometimes watching 4 or 5 episodes in a row!



There were times that I was embarrassed watching Xiang Qin - her character is kinda sad at times in a pathetic way, but she grew on me and I found myself cheering her on in her fight for Zhi Shu. When watching this drama - just keep in mind it is based off of a manga!



All in all though - the characters are relatable, funny, lovable - and there are some really sweet moments that had me smiling from ear to ear (:

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This is the first drama I ever watched and it made watch 4 others after it just to find something similar (that would make me feel the same)

I loved it, like really loved it

The acting is excellent (except maybe for Kim na na), the roles are gorgeous.

the action is good, the fights are well coordinated, lee min ho is hot, funny and very sad.

The music is perfectly matched, I now have the OSTs in my Ipod.

I loved the story, inteligent and well sewed ...

it has been a bit slow in the beginning and I expected more dialogs in the end...

but still perfect

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This movie made me weep several times...

I love both main leads, I can't watch Masaki Okada dying anymore...this movie and especially Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu were enough for me...

This story amazed me for the brave main female, her words and actions...to love a person so much, that she doesn't want to loose the last recollection of her loved one, even if it's the most painful memory in her life that her brain tried to erase for good...

This story amazed me for the best main male, his love and feelings for the girl...to love a person so much, that the moment her understood, they were going to collide with the truck he thought only about saving his loved one, forgetting and just casting away his own body and life...

And the last scene... finished me off for good...

"Izumi...Imuzi...ikiteru?" tears...

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I'm doing something I probably shouldn't: paste my own review from one site into here. I just feel that this little, surprising drama deserves at least one praise.



I truly loved this show. It's a mixture of Agatha Christie, Conan Doyle, Ellery Queen and Philip Marlow, all made into a hilarious parody.



The great "Meitantei", brilliantly portrayed by Matsuda Shota, is a cocktail of silly arrogance, childish mistakes and misgivings, yet he's got brain and you can't help but like him a lot through all his naive traits.

The older policeman is a sort of "deus ex machina", who understands the needs of the dramatic process and explains it to his collegues and, in so doing, to the viewers.

Kashii Yu does a great job in picturing the only clear headed character in the story, who eventually learns to follow the rules, not those of the real investigation but the ones that create a detective story.



This show has to be viewed on different levels: the plot itself and the sub-plot, which is "how is a classic detective story created?".



I enjoyed the music too. Just like the situations portrayed, it mimics the pathos always found in thriller stories and makes it all the funnier.



Not to spoil but to encourage, let me add that the finale is brilliant; it will either leave you completely perplexed or you will laugh out loud and be left with a grin on your face, as I was.

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