Reviews

I loved this drama, however, it is not the greatest drama that I've ever seen. The story is set up to be equally funny and sad, considering that he is a straight guy pretending to be gay in order to live with a woman. The gay misunderstanding is very funny at times, the plot lines involving her family are interesting and their relationship is convincing. However, there are some boring parts, some wandering story lines and there is a lot of immature shouting. However, I loved it, really enjoyed the bits of real life that they threw in. I recommend this drama if you haven't watched a drama/classic romance drama in awhile. If you've just seen Full House, Secret Garden, etc, you might find this boring.

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I found this drama to be boring and dissatisfying. I really wanted to love it, but there was simply not enough character development to make up for the irritating behavior and unrealistic plot lines. I love a good unrealistic plot line, no doubt about it, but when the writers can't even come up with a plausible reason for heartbreak, it becomes really tedious to watch.







In short, the virtues of this show were Kim Sung Soo's beautiful face (playing Yoo Min Hyuk), Song Hye Kyo's adorableness (playing Han Ji Eun) and that amazing house they lived in. Faults? Just about everything else. The only reason I kept watching was in hope of a clever ending, a cute climax, something to make up for all the shouting and redundant plot devices. No such luck.







As Skye N Rain noted, it's really just good for passing a boring weekend with.

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I had watched a dozen or so dramas before I stumbled upon Secret Garden. Before, my favorite Asian Dramas had been Hana Kimi and Personal Taste. However, Secret Garden is my new favorite. I'm not sure what other Asian Drama fans look for in dramas, but what I look for is character chemistry, a good balance of unrealistic and realistic plot lines, and a dash of honesty amongst all of the silliness that is usually found in these productions.







Secret Garden had almost all of those things. The actors were really, really good. And not only did they have chemistry, and some sexual tension (unlike many dramas I've watched), their characters actually develop fully. I was astonished. So far, all of the K-Dramas I've watched had next to no character development. This was different, and I was impressed by how much growth took place. I wanted to quit watching halfway through - that stubbornness that is inherent in what seems to be all Korean characters was getting very annoying. But I pulled through and am very glad I did.







As for the plot, it definitely wandered and had little focus. I was left wondering what the writers were aiming for. However, the love story is sweet and the end is worth the wait, I thought. There are even some very funny, sad and cute scenes that are unique to Secret Garden, which is something that can't be said for every drama.







Conclusion? I recommend you watch it! :)







One more note about this... The characters are in their 30's, which helped to keep the entire drama more mature and sensible than dramas I've watched about 20-somethings. Just a note! :)

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This was one of my first Jdramas and till this day remains to be one of my favorites. The story kept me intrigued and best of all, showed me the amazing acting skills of Yamapi. The entire cast did an amazing job. The music was alright but it served its purpose. I'm not big on rewatching anything, but i'm sure after 1-2 years i would definitely rewatch this drama. Overall, i'm giving this drama a 9. If you're a fan of Yamashita Tomohisa(Yamapi), definitely watch it. If you're looking for a drama that will keep you interested and on the edge of your seat for every episode, watch this.

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First of all, this movie brought two persons to my mind: Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. (A movie could raise worse associations, I guess.) In this movie, I sensed an atmosphere similar to many movies one or both of them have been involved with. The concept of "normal" is questioned and twisted around. Imagination can fly free and being "weird" is acceptabale - and even adorable!

I think Rain had a really Deppish role in this movie. Il Soon is eccentric, peculiar and sees the world in his own way. He is kind, child-like person carrying deep scars from his past. In addition, he, too, has dark, beautiful eyes and he wears a weird "hat" - count all Depp's roles in which he has worn some extraordinary headgear!

Lim Su Jeong does a superb job in the main role as well. Her Young Goon is indeed a very cyborg-like girl with great expressions. There were some very cute scenes with these two characters and you just have to love them both. If you know the American movie "Benny & Joon", here you have Korean Sam and Joon.

I really liked this movie a lot. I have to admit that I didn't like it as much when I watched it the first time. I thought the beginning was a bit slow and it took me some time before I realized where the movie was heading for. I had also some difficulties to follow the plot from the subs and I think I missed something because I can't understand Korean. When I rewatched this movie I understood a lot more from the start and noticed new little details that were part of the big picture.

However, I couldn't fully love this movie because I couldn't help but to reflect on the reality behind the film - how mentally ill people have been - and are - treated. How "normal" people judge others as mentally ill and close them to institutions, out of sight. This wasn't the main issue in the film, though it was touched upon. I think there would have been the potential for more.

The soundtrack was excellent. The music was in an important role creating the movie's atmosphere. In some scenes the music was in a strong contrast with the action on the screen and thus made the viewer to view the scene in a different ligth.

If you want that everything is logical and reasonable and you don't like fantasy elements, don't watch this movie. If you like movies with a little twist on the weird side, movies that are about people who don't see the world like "the normal people" do, you might really like this movie.

P.S. If you don't get the ending of the movie first, don't worry; I didn't get it either. I missed the crucial point but fortunately I found the explanation in some comment and then everything made much more sense. Just watch the last 10 minutes or so carefully. :)

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I was hesitant about the overall score to give to this movie. I basically loved everything about it, from the plot to the acting to the execution. Possibly it deserves a 10, and I gave it a nine just to retain a right to a higher score in the future.



I wasn't expecting anything less from the same screenwriter of Tatta Hitotsu No Koi, Sunao Ni Narenakute and Orange Days, nor from the same director of Winter Sonata, Sorry I love you and Bad Guy. They both did not disappoint.



The script is delicate and moving. It touches deep chords in the hearts of anyone who has experienced the loss of a beloved one at least once. It talks about the fragile, magic relationship between the living and the deceased: how hard it is to let go, to overcome regrets and remorses while still keeping the memory alive.



The photography is beautiful, it highlights that vague atmosphere constantly suspended between reality and fairy-tale. It helps that the two main leads are both beautiful to watch and just as convincing together. Hero Jaejoong might not be yet ready for complex line deliveries, but he's very expressive and, let's face it, a pleasure for the eyes. Han Hyo Joo, on the other hand is brilliant here, bringing up the joyful side this movie would otherwise lack.



I think I've written enough. If you are willing to watch a movie which combines the Japanese delicacy and the Korean intensity of emotions, give this one a try.

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First of all, when you are watching this drama prepare for heartbreaks. Now that's out of the way, I have to say this is my favourite Kimura role to date (and I'm the type to pick a good romcom over any melos). Kimura and Eri as Ryo and Yuko have chemistry that absolutely sizzles onscreen and unlike any other romance you will find in most jdramas. But more than their chemistry, the supporting casts also does a great job rounding out each of their characters. You will find that this is not just a drama written in black and white, everyone is more than they seem and no one walks out innocent and unscattered. The drama starts off puzzling and slow but picks up and positively explodes toward the end.



I rated the re-watch value quite low because this is still a mystery drama so once you know the big revelation, the impact won't be quite the same as the first time but there are plenty of compelling scenes that makes up for it.





Overall, I'd definitely recommend it to any Kimura fans who haven't seen this yet, as well as anyone looking for a compelling story about love, betrayal and redemption.

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I just finished watching this amazing movie right now.
Up until the end I would\'\'ve given this movie a 10 in story, but the ending just ruined it for me. It wasn\'\'t a bad ending, it just wasn\'\'t my type of ending. Some people will probably love this movie and give it all 10\'\'s but for me the ending just wasn\'\'t how I would\'\'ve ended it so i\'\'m giving the story a 9, the acting was a 10 since all of them were amazing actors, the music an 8 because while it wasn\'\'t the best music it did fit the story just fine. As for rewatch value, while I personally don\'\'t like to rewatch movies or dramas until 1-2 years afterwards, I would rewatch this one so i\'\'ll give it a 7. Overall, i\'\'m giving this movie a 9 because if you\'\'re a fan of any of the cast(lucky me for being a fan of all three of the main actors!), or a fan of the Wuxia genre, or a fan of Chinese choreography, you\'\'ll absolutely love this gem of a film.

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Why are you reading this review and not watching it?! This is one of my all time favorite dramas. While at times the characters can be a bit frustrating, they do a really good job playing them. The romantic scenes in this drama are very romantic and rememberable (unlike the Korean version...). I could on and on about what I like, but I would spoil it for you. The only thing I can honestly say I didn't like was part of the end, so thank goodness they have a season two! The second season of this drama is also very good and doesn't ruin the first season (unlike Meteor Garden II...).



There are also two versions of this drama, the 30 episode verison and the 20 episode version. If you are the kind of person with a lot of time to spend watching dramas, consider the 30 episode version. But if you are the kind that has little time or doesn't like really long dramas, the 20 episode version is good too and really doesn't leave out much. I forget which version, but one of the two cuts off the ends really weird (probably the 20 episode version.)



What are you waiting for? Go watch it! (I've seen it twice!)

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Minus Wu Chun's hair, this drama was pretty good. This is a pretty typical romantic drama, but I really do enjoy the story about that dress and the struggle the two face. My all time favorite thing about this drama is the opening theme song. I STILL know it by heart and I saw this drama years ago. One of the reasons I like Taiwanese dramas is for their openings, and this is probably my favorite. The acting by Ariel was much better than Chun, but he wasn't all that good... I honestly don't remember the friends and the side story at all. The main story was enough to make me like this drama though.



Don't decide to not watch it just because it's older and the video quality isn't stellar. I think this drama is worth a watch if you have time.

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This is one of my favorite Taiwanese dramas. Unlike most Taiwanese dramas, this is set when they are in high school. While the main story isn't very clear, the overall drama is fun to watch. The romance is more innocent and cute, which is good for this type of drama. It could have easily have been a typical romantic comedy drama, but I feel it was pretty imaginative. While there were definately some things I did not like, for example, their uniforms, there were a lot more things I loved. The actors and actress are both from idol groups and are not originally actors, so the acting was just ok. At the same time though, they are just playing awkward high schoolers anyway, so their lack of skills are pretty much hidden and some actors, my favorite was Gui Gui, did a pretty good job. The ending was a bit random, and almost made me feel like their could have been a season two. They did make another drama with most of the actors in this show, though I don't think it's a second season (more like ISWAK and Love&Bread).



If you enjoy idol dramas and romantic comedies, you will love this drama. Definately worth a watch!

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I am not a fan of dramas lasting more than 20 episodes. This is due to my experiences with Brilliant Legacy and Boys Over Flowers. They both went on longer than they should have. That's why even though I came across Queen of Reversals several times, I kept passing it up. However, after watching Jung Joon Ho in Iris, I needed to watch other dramas he was in. Therefore I decided to give QOR a try. The first two episodes were messy and confusing. But, after you get over the time jump in the third episode, the drama starts to find its legs.

What makes this drama is cast of different characters. You got the 2 male leads and the 2 female leads. JJH starts off as this immature wishy-washy character that you just want to punch because he is so clueless. By the end of the drama, his character grows into a mature, caring, successful in love and work. Park Shi Hoo doesn't have much as much character growth as JJH but you can see that his acting chops have improved since Prosecutor Princess. This is my first time seeing KNJ in a drama. She wasn't very impressive but she managed to play her role well. CJA from coffee prince did excellent as a vixen. She kind of reminded me of her role in CP though, a bit whiny. Somehow she manages to make the audience like her though in the end (although the cop wasn't a bad choice=( !) We can't forget the supporting cast who make the drama excellent. They all have different personalities and I like that although they aren't the main focus, they stay relevant throughout the entire drama so you can't forget about them.

The last 2 episodes were brilliantly written. Be ready to cry at the end of episode 30. All in all this drama is filled with many lessons so I think everyone should give it a try!

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