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The casting for this movie was perfect. Kang Ha Neul and Park Seo Joon just work SO WELL together. As reluctant police academy students, they were the best of bros and I was 100% here for it. Ki Joon and Hee Yeol's brain-brawn dynamic made for a wild ride, and I can't think of anyone else that would have delivered like these two did. They played off of each other, and after hearing that they ad-libbed quite a bit during the movie I was sold -- that friendship did not seem like acting at all. The bromance was so strong in this.
Midnight Runners was a great example of what a buddy-cop movie should be (though if you want a super serious police procedural, this isn't it). It balanced Ki Joon and Hee Yeol's light, easygoing antics with the gross (and tbh, kind of scary) villains. Also, it was INFURIATING, and I do mean infuriating at one part. I mean, ignoring a very real, serious issue just because protocol had to be followed?? I was about to tear my hair out. It was so, so frustrating.
Midnight Runners' only issue is that the action doesn't really pick up until around the second half of the movie. The beginning is more of a buildup of Ki Joon and Hee Yeol's dynamic, which I'm not complaining about, but the actual conflict doesn't really begin until about an hour into the movie.
Overall, Midnight Runners was a solid film. It's not anything heavy, and I can definitely think of worse ways to spend 1hr 50min. Even if cop movies aren't really your thing, the bromance and the way the two leads build off of each other is worth watching.
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Acting: The two main leads both have very natural acting talents. The second male lead's acting is too stiff and thus made for a pretty boring love triangle storyline. Surprise cameo was a riot!
Story: I enjoyed watching the various versions of marriage/dating throughout the drama. I also really liked Jung Kyung Ho's character as a single dad. If only all single dads were this perfect! Unfortunately, the story dragged, especially in the middle of the drama. If this drama was shortened to 8 episodes with 2 focused on each couple, it would have been ideal.
Overall, a good watch for when you are bored and want some cute romance but don't expect your socks to be knocked off. The entire cast is as good looking as they come so it's worth it for just watching all the handsome men and women in this drama!
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The BGM really resembled that of Healer's, which I enjoyed. The acting by the leads was top notch. I watched this for the romance and not for the business / corporate takeover aspects. The beginning of the drama had a good story flowing but became a mess towards the end of the drama as the writers tried to wrap everything up neatly in the last 2 episodes. However, the ending felt rushed and as a viewer, I felt robbed of the potential cute romantic scenes between the leads... I would have been more satisfied if I got to watch more cute scenes by the leads.
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This review may contain spoilers
I didn’t really go into this movie expecting anything because of all the comments I read and I pushed off watching it because I didn’t want to know if it was bad or good. But I finally sat down and watched it and while it isn’t the best movie, it’s far from the worst. In movies, I don’t mind if they’re fast paced, some have to be. No one wants to sit through a 4 hour movie- I’ve done it. I got bored. So when changing a story or a fifty episode drama to a movie, things are going to get cut, you’ll miss half the story but let me tell you- this movie is not bad- it’s good! It’s not going to get tons of praise from a lot of people but I was smiling so much at the end and it left me feeling so happy. Not only leaving me with good feelings, but the actors delivered their parts which were probably challenging and they did it so well that (Personal Opinion) I would honestly choose to watch this over the drama. I’m not shaming the drama- I love it too! It’s listed in my favorites but this movie earned a spot as well. This movie gave me the giddy-feels and I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. ***MINOR SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON***
Story: Though I can see why people say the things they do about the movie, I really didn’t see any problems with the movie as a whole. It is rushed and if you go in without watching the drama or reading the story, you might be confused because of the missing, finer details. This movie does deviate from the drama. I can’t say anything about the novel as I have yet to read it. Also, the ending was rushed because a lot of the time is spent building up to the first meeting and mapping out the characters, leaving the rest of the movie with about 40~ minutes.
When it comes to the cinematography, I love this film. It couldn’t be more toward my taste of films. The indie vibe it brings and how everything seems real, like it’s not some set of stage... It gives the genuine feel of a college campus and habitat. I love the way the cameras capture certain scenes and the places they used. It fit my taste perfectly.
Cast/Acting: I loved the chemistry between the two leads. When I first watched it, I felt something was lacking but in my re-watches, I don’t think I would change either one out. They fit their roles perfectly and I loved their chemistry; I think I was still in the head-space for the drama on my first watch with so many reservations that I spent it mostly comparing and seeing it through comment’s eyes. Upon re-watching, it was a whole new world and I was so much more open to it. The New Year's scene was really what did me in for the couple the first time around. Everything just melted together and you could see them as a couple. If it didn’t hit you before, this scene will get you.
I like Angelababy’s Bei Wei Wei. I like how more “real” she seemed. She wasn’t so shy and quiet but a little more out there, more confident with who she is and what she likes. I like how they did a spot light when we are hearing her inner thoughts instead of a simple voice over, which adds more to her character than one would think. I also really like her reactions as Bei Wei Wei. She’s not as stone-faced here. I feel like these kind of roles were made for her.
This is my first drama with Jing Boran! I don’t know much about him or who he acts, what roles he seems more comfortable with but I love him in this role. Xiao Nai is probably an incredibly hard role to pull off: a talented guy who is very reserved but strong minded, great at everything, super smart with good family relations and close-knit friend groups. It must be daunting but he did it and I loved him in this role.
Music: There are two types of music: scores and lyrical. In this movie, the director makes use of both to influence and help the watcher and guide emotions. The music fits with the movie so well and it’s more than background noise, it literally pulls you into the lead's head and you feel the uplifting happiness or the soul-crushing weight... Oh... this movie slayed me.
Re-watch? A thousand times yes. Positively would re-watch! The whole thing left me with butterflies! I love how their aspirations were combined and how they all started the company, how she rushed to his side, and UGHHH this movie... I love it- I love it to bits. Please watch it without comparing it. Go into it with an open mind and I'm sure you will love it as well!!!
****COMPARISONS TO THE DRAMA****
This movie didn’t feel fake, like a set with strict areas to film and always having to watch where the camera goes because you don’t want to accidentally revel too much. It didn’t feel like that, like it did in Love O2O or like in a lot of CDrama’s- I know it’s usually because of budget and they’re set in old times, or college campuses, but it gave a very real vibe, like “We live here. This is our comfy zone.” Like when Bei Wei Wei is in the Computer Room or Xiao Nai is in his office. Same feelings.
I didn’t realize this until I saw the movie, but in the drama, probably around mid-point, it stops featuring the game and it made me sad because the game is what brought them together and I loved that element of the show, so I'm happy that in the movie, it didn't really disappear.
When it comes to the acting, as much as I love Yang Yang, I preferred movie couple more. I think both pairs lacked in spot-on chemistry, but I also think as both programs progressed, all the actors found their footing. In some moments, the Yang-Zheng relation felt forced and a bit awkward (stiff doll kisses) but I didn't get any of that from Angela-Boran's kiss. Yang Yang gave it his all while I think Zheng Shuang pulled back too much to be convincingly in love. I can tell why people would also criticizes Angelababy’s Wei Wei as she is more out there than Zheng Shuang’s Wei Wei, but Angelababy’s sat more comfortably with me and I felt more emotion from her. Yang Yang fits this role incredibly well but Jing Boran doesn’t seem to be lacking either- but I’m not that good at judging. Xaio Nai, as I stated before, is a very challenging character to pin down and if not done well he could come off as snobbish… so I have to say they both didn’t disappoint on the whole.
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Uniqueness of Plot: 3.5 / 5
Acting: 3.5 / 5
Technical Elements:1
**I agree with many people, this movie should not be compared to the drama entirely. It is intended for a different audience for one thing -- people less interested in deep, involved, dramatic, angsty shows and more into a good watch on a Saturday afternoon. I mean, I like the convoluted stories and interwoved storylines of a good 50-episode drama, but many of my friends and family wouldn't want to get that involved in something like this. So don't approach is as A) a copy of the book, B) a really good story to sink your teeth and time into or C) a copy of the drama. With that said, I'm going to give a review of it as a standalone film.
Review (As a Separate Movie):
MUSIC: The music was pretty good. I cannot say I actually notice the music in the background much, so it at least wasn't annoying. :) Unlike the drama, no songs particularly stood out to me as "oh my gosh I must download that" but nothing was a problem either. I'd say it worked for the film -- momentous when it needed to be, quiet when it needed to be.
SPECIAL EFFECTS: This is the one place where I'd say you can compare it to the drama. I mean, they seem to have had plenty of money for special effects and China has a great history of making BEAUTIFUL fantasy dramas that are incredibly realistic. Examples are The Mystic Nine, Eternal Love, Nirvana in Fire, Novoland . . . . . China has mad skills when it comes to CGI and special effects. So I'm not sure why this drama was so sketchy. I like to watch fantasy movies and forget that it isn't reality--I don't want to be reminded that this is fantasy during the film. I never got there with this movie. 1. Colors -- The colors in the drama are too bright. For a show that is mostly tragic -- all the colors were shiny and "animated" looking. They weren't realistic and it detracted from the "realism" of the show. 2. The animations were never quite good enough. In my opinion the nine-tailed fox was obviously animated, and sometimes in Chinese dramas you really can't tell. Most of the animals actually were obvious fakes -- their bodies didn't move quite right and it felt like parts of their movements weren't smooth or flowing right. Dunno. I just felt like the obvious "animation" of it all detracted from the story too. 3. There were way too many moments where the movie cuts were obvious. We'd jump from scene to scene with no transition, no music, nothing. Just a sudden leap -- like stream of consciousness. It was really distracting. 4. I know a lot of people didn't like the costumes, but I actually thought those were okay. Ye Hua was really good fashion wise, so was Bai Qian. Zhe Yan was a bit overdramatic, but considering they were having him come across as a phoenix, it suited his character here. Once again, it wouldn't have worked for the drama version of Zhe Yan, but this was a different take on his persona.
CHARACTERS / ACTING: The acting in the movie actually wasn't too bad! Okay, so I know some of you maybe didn't like this "interpretation" of the characters. Ye Hua is a lot less gloomy and tragic all the time, more cheerful and extroverted. Zhe Yan was totally different -- he's more of a flamboyant character (wine, women, and song kind of guy) and less "I want some peace and quiet" type. But while you may not like how the scriptwriter's depicted the characters, I don't think the actors themselves did too bad a job. I'd say Ye Hua and A Li did the best job. The only "eh. . . no" part I got was with ghost tribe b*tch. It just didn't work for me from costume to characterization to the portrayal. She came across as Overdone.Oh and the water king and townspeople scene -- definitely over done.
PLOT: The plot struggled. A Lot. I did try to watch it as someone who wasn't expecting things from the drama because I knew they changed some stuff. And I do think you could follow the storyline even if you didn't see the drama. But as far as a stand-alone film, it wasn't the best I've seen from China. Too many cut scenes and chopped up movement. 1. The drama just jumped too many times. You'd be in a scene and then suddenly you were somewhere else. For example, Bai Qian going to the sea palace. First you're in the garden and suddenly she's on the bank waiting to be shuttled to a palace for reasons. Why? They don't tell us. It just jumped there -- making the whole meeting with Ye Hua and A Li seem really forced. 2. Too many plot holes in the drama. For example, there is no background into her time with Mo Yuan -- we just know he's important for reasons. Later to be abandoned? I think? Or maybe he is Ye Hua -- I didn't understand that whole issue with him. It was strange. 3. Bai Qian is entirely too trusting of Su Jin in this drama. It isn't really clear why she listens to her at all and it demonstrates a naivety that she doesn't have in other places in the drama. It makes the conflicts seem forced. 4. The Ghost Queen -- that part was SO weird. IT was there, but I'm not sure why other than to drive the plot along. She didn't really do ANYTHING that was important to the plot (okay she pushed it along), but it felt so contrived. 5, The ending was CONFUSING! Was Ye Hua Mo Yuan. Which one woke up at the end. What was going on there? SO many questions left unanswered!!
That said. . . . it was understandable. I don't think they cut out TOO much that would have made the movie more clear. For example, it would have been nice to see her brother and family in the movie, but they could be taken out without ruining the Ye Huan / Bai Qian storyline.
FINAL THOUGHTS: This movie has a different "feel" from the drama entirely. There are several angsty moments, but more like what you would expect from a Comedic / Dramatic movie. Angst at the middle and end, with quite a bit of lightheartedness and romance in the rest. The focus is more on them falling in love again and less on what drove them apart. None of the drama and tears brought from the side stories in this movie--all ends well at the end. You can follow along, although you might need to pause it every so often to review what you've seen. It's a cute movie. Not going to win any awards, feels like a B list fantasy film from when they were kind of newer to it. I'd say -- Watch it without any expectations. Don't try to make it too serious or too "meaningful." It isn't that. IT ISN'T THE DRAMA and it really doesn't try to be. It's cute, mostly cheerful, got some fight / action scenes, got lots of romance and some good kiss scenes -- fun. Just enjoy it and (if you want a better storyline and effects) go rewatch Eternal Love again afterwards to get your crying on.
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The main theme of the drama is identity theft on which the story is based. Byun/Lee family consists of four siblings and their parents. Each of them having different traits with different approach and attitude towards life makes it joyous to watch. Everyone had their share of stories to tell. The eldest son was perseverant towards achieving a secured career in the govt. department. He withstand self-inflicted mental humiliation when he saw his younger sisters are progressing faster in life whereas he being the eldest were just constantly failing. However, at the end “the slow and steady wins the race”. The eldest daughter of the family was a talented, smart, educated, elite and rebellious woman who knows how to deal with every situation in life with strong mind. She was a lawyer with strong determination to win in anything she puts are mind into. The third sister was an underdog who gradually shone with composed, patient and forgiving attitude towards life. And the youngest sister was extremely cute, witty, outspoken, boisterous, bubbly and the apple of the family’s eye. She was uncompromising when anything or anyone goes against her family. Lastly the parents what I can say about them, they sacrificed their entire life for the sake of raising their four amazing children. They have gone through a great deal of hardships but never forgot to keep their children’s need in the forefront. All these six people were tremendously affectionate towards each other.
Then comes the Na family. Na Yeong Shik was Na Yeong Shil’s younger brother. Their family comprised of four people-wife, mother, son and Mr. Na. I personally loved this family and the character Lee Bo Mi (wife). I could relate to their struggles with life in so many different levels. Their story seemed quite realistic. Hats off to the wife who was very supportive in whatever her husband did and her approach towards life was sarcastically optimistic. They were needy but never put their integrity at stake for the sake of money. Their constant fight to make their genius son’s life easy was sometimes heart wrenching.
Third comes the Cha family, the eldest daughter of Byun/Lee family married the only son of this family. I found the mother Cha’s character quite annoying. The father Cha’s character was somewhat enjoyable. He portrays the character who wants to gain deeper insight of life after retirement which was sometimes amusing to watch especially his interaction with his wife.
On the otherhand, the most interesting, most loveable and most adorable character was played by Lee Joon. He was all through eccentric, affectionate, understanding, righteous and sensitive. His portion of the story development and how his background is intertwined with the Byun/Lee family was the most interesting part of the 52 episodic journey. Lee Joon is always best in whatever role he plays. He puts his mind, body and soul into full action when it comes to acting. Very few have been seen with so much dedication and sincerity towards what they do. His stair of success will definitely keep on going sky high. He makes anyone cry or laugh easily and also make one fall in love with him so easily. He is the most formidable and versatile one among the entire ensemble of this drama. The chemistry both he and Jung So Min portrayed was utterly heart fluttering. They were my favourite couple among all the others.
Now about the overall view of the drama, I think it started off interestingly which can make an audience crave for more but as the episodes progressed, it gradually became draggy and the emotions seemed sometimes bit over the top. Without being a 52 episodic drama it can easily be a 30 episode drama which would help to keep its real essence. Nevertheless, still it is wonderful and to watch two episodes every week did not feel tiring rather after a long exhausting day, this drama always refreshed by mood. The last episode was overdramatic but still it is alright to me since it was a happy ending which can easily bring big smile in anyone’s face.
I will miss Father is Strange and all the amazing casts. It became very dearer to me which will take a while to get over with.
I know it’s hard to bear with so many episodes but if you like to see some reflection of your own family you can give it a try.
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The cinematography, the storyline, the actors and the OST's are the best!!!
Yoo Ah In and I'm So Jung's acting was superb and Oh!! my favorite in this drama-Go Kyung-pyo!! everything in Chicago Typewriter is definitely the best!!!
I totally recommend it to everyone. It is a must watch drama of 2017.
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1!!! DRAMA WARNINGS !!!
1) I'm sure you've probably noticed from the comment sections but let me re-iterate it here. This drama has scenes of abuse - physical, emotional and psychological. This show is a literal minefield of triggers. If you're sensitive to scenes of violence, rage, rape, emotional blackmail and abuse, this is either not the show for you, or if you're still intent on watching it regardless, please go into it heavily armed and prepared. You have been warned.
2) For a lakorn, I personally think that this is one of, if not the, most realistically set lakorns I've seen. Why is this a warning? Well, because the realism and the depictions of scenes, especially those in your typical everyday places, make it harder for you to disassociate from the show. You're not taken out of your world into another, no, this world comes knocking on your front door and makes itself at home in your house. And that adds another subtle layer to the emotional triggers on this show. It's harder for the viewer to disassociate from what's happening on-screen.
3) I personally would not label this show as a 'romance' for a primary genre because large chunks of it could hardly be considered romantic - so for those of you going into this expecting a sweeping romance, you're going to be in for a very rude shock. If you asked me, I'd prefer to call it a study on human psychology and cognitive behaviour, and its impact on others. I can't believe I'm actually saying this about a lakorn.
4) The main characters depicted in this show are not caricatures or stock characters. They are not overdone or over-cooked or over-dramatised. There are people in the real world out there who actually can, and do, act and behave the way our main characters do. This is disturbingly, and horrifically true. And the show does a damn amazing job at showing it, and their twisted logic for their behaviours, too well for comfort. So, if you're a person who has had bad experiences with people who exhibit such behaviours, again, emotional trigger warning. It may not be the scenes or actions which may trigger an emotional response but the characters themselves as well.
Potential character triggers are:-
a) characters with rage/ anger management issues,
b) characters who use physical violence,
c) characters who use verbal attacks, manipulations and provocations on another,
d) characters who come from and are part of broken and highly dysfunctional families,
e) characters who have been on the receiving end of rape, violence and abuse, and
f) characters who do not act or seem passive when faced with someone who has been abused.
So, please, if any of the above character personalities are triggers for you, proceed with caution.
There, long list of warnings but necessary, I believe, to spare potential viewers shock or horror or disgust or even emotional breakdown.
STORY (No spoilers)
I'll be honest with you, I had to prepare myself a lot because I was worried about the subject matter which this show depicts. It's not a subject matter I liked, it sounded disturbing and I was not sure if I could stomach it all the way through. And I have to say, for all my preparation, I still found myself surprised at how deep and disturbing this show can run. Goes to show that there is only so much you can do to prepare yourself, but once you start down it proper, it will still grab you by the balls and knee you in the groin. And I think that it says a lot about how solidly fantastic this show was in bringing out the dysfunctionality of the characters, and their psyche and motivations behind their decisions and actions.
All our main characters are flawed. Kawee, Leela and Kawee's father (Kid), are most definitely flawed and rather messed up people, but Narin is no angel of goodness either. She has her character flaws too - different sort of flaws but flaws all the same.
People are born with some character flaws, but circumstances, environment and upbringing can twist it, mould it, and shape it into the living being that the person is today. It's true. It's real. It's life. And this show will resonate with those of us who've been through some of that. The more we've encountered some of the circumstance and the people in this show, the more it will resonate with you. And I believe that in each and every one of us there will be something in this show that will ring just too close to home.
So, this show will inevitably touch you in some way. It will dredge up and provoke all sorts of thoughts and emotions because it is pretty realistically grounded. The twisted logic and motivation behind some of the character decisions is surprisingly believable, and the careless or thoughtless actions which may seem harmless at first glance can evolve into a monster of your own making in an incredibly real way.
I don't know what else I can say on this subject without going into spoilers. Goodness knows, there is so much to talk about in terms of the details on how excellent this show is on the character portrayal aspect, but you'd need proper examples and situations to walk you through it, and I can't do that without revealing spoilers.
Another thing of note is the dialogue in this show. A lot of the character insights and motivations are revealed in what they say - you get an insight into the brokenness of their hearts and their biased thoughts through their outbursts of speech. And when you see two of them going at it in massive verbal shoutouts, as a viewer you are just utterly mesmerised. It's just crazily real how each person acts and speaks from their own standpoint, but it is utterly at cross-purposes and received so differently by the other.
I'm also going to say something about the abuse in this show - I think this is probably the single most polarising aspect of this show for the viewers. It's not a nice subject matter, but unfortunately it is the hinge on which the show swings on. Without it, the show fails to really impact and gain emotional traction. However, this show makes no excuses for the abuse depicted, nor does it romanticise it and tries to sell it to us as an acceptable thing - something you will realise if you took the time to step outside of the outrage the show incites and view it in a more objective manner.
The character personalities the show portrays are also not necessarily a fantasy either. Some people do neglect and fail to understand their own children. Some people respond to childhood neglect through attention-seeking, reckless and violent behaviour. Some people respond to personal rejection in twisted vengeful ways. Some people can actually fall for the people they abuse, and victims of abuse can also sometimes feel empathy for their abusers. And some people do stay silent or passive despite knowing about another's abuse.
On the other hand, there are also some people who do change and try to redeem themselves as abusers too, even if others think that they should be destroyed for their sins. And some people are willing to give others a second chance, even if others believe that they shouldn't.
Whether we feel that it is right or wrong is irrelevant, in my opinion, because this is a show about people being people. And whether we like it or not, there are characters and people like this in real life that behave and respond this way. And I personally think that this show is rather brave by depicting all that - controversies be damned.
Last but definitely not least, I'm glad that while this show had us seeing all that dross that makes flawed characters tick, the show also took pains to show us the transformative power of love. It sounds terribly cliche, and it's been done a million times, but it doesn't make it any less true or less powerful a message. There is a reason why love is such an amazing thing - it really does have the power to instil change and motivate a person to see outside of themselves and to consider the feelings of others. It really does transform people from selfish individuals into selfless ones.
And this is why I gave it a 9 out of 10 rating on the story aspect, not so much for the story per se but mainly for the tightly-scripted character portrayals, the character developments, and for the way the main characters eventually deal with and arrive at a conclusion.
I may not like the overall subject matter of this show, but I respect the way the show is determined to show us the ugly and weak side of being human and take us on a redemptive journey through the eyes of some of them.
ACTING/ CAST
Majority of the casting and acting is solid. There are a few characters which I can do without (i.e. I personally don't think they really add value to the production or to the show and are one-dimensional or caricatures and when placed side-by-side with the complex characters, they cheapen the production).
But the credit and the show really and ultimately rested on 4 main characters and their amazing and effective acting performance. Had any of these four been lesser actors or actresses, this show would not have half the impact it does nor half the weight and heft.
So here goes...
DILOK THONGWATTANA - as Kid Worawath, Kawee's father. Gosh, everyone talks about Ken's performance but I think a lot of people also don't realise how good Dilok was as Kawee's father. His role and his acting might not be as eye-catching as Kawee, but he is absolutely critical and the primary catalyst for us being able to see Kawee as he is. So, it takes an actor of calibre to be able to pull off the character of Kid well so that he gives Kawee life. And Dilok does the character of Kid to perfection. Some of the best and most memorable scenes in this show are when Kawee is facing Kid - the emotion and the energy is just... tangible and weighty. And this cannot be done without Dilok holding his own against Ken in those scenes. An amazing veteran actor who fulfilled and did his role to perfection.
NATARIKA THAMAPREEDANAN - as Leela, Narin's older sister; Kid Worawath's wife and Kawee's step-mother. I found her more difficult to rate as an actress here because there were many occasions where I saw her character showing all sorts of emotions on-screen but found myself wildly guessing what she was feeling and wondering what was in her mind at that point. She is the most difficult one to fathom in the whole show but maybe that's because Leela probably had multiple and conflicting emotions bubbling and brewing in her chest during these scenes and I don't think there is that one single emotion that can be portrayed. She has the most internal conflict, I think. She has to balance her love and her responsibility towards her sister, her own unburied and un-dealt-with feelings for Kawee and her own feelings for Kid and the whole marriage setup. But for what it's worth, I thought Natarika still brought life and complexity to the character of Leela, and that in the hands of a lesser actress, Leela would not be as enigmatic and as faceted a character as what we have.
ANNE THONGPRASOM - as Narin. I truly and honestly believe that nobody could have done a better Narin than Anne. The range of emotions and the way she immersed herself into the role so that all of Narin's conflicts and feelings are vividly seen, is just... downright amazing. She just pulls you into her character so damn well that instead of feeling like a third-party observer (which you can sometimes feel with an actress who is less masterful in her role), it is almost as though you were right with her in her circumstances and in her emotions. You feel her fear, her desperation, her heart-break, her despair, her hate, her conflict, and her love - and she does it all without going overboard with it, without over-doing it, so instead of an element of the theatrical (which, again, in the hands of lesser actresses, could easily swing that way), there is an air of pathos, of heavy emotional weight, and of realism in Anne's performance as Narin. The evolution of her character as Narin from the optimistic and confident girl who sometimes carries an air of almost careless arrogance, to a withdrawn and cautious girl who has experienced severe trauma in life but is determined to get on with the consequences and with life itself regardless, is painfully realistic. She is simply outstanding here as Narin.
KEN THEERADETH - as Kawee Worawath. Wow. Kawee is not an easy character to portray without having him descend into needlessly cruel, heartless beast on one end of the spectrum, or into self-entitled theatrical drama queen on the other end. Neither ends of the spectrum yield much, if any, sympathy nor do they evoke any emotional connection with the character.
Without Ken's nuanced and layered acting as the emotionally stunted and neglected Kawee, none of us would be able to identify as much with the brokenness that is at work in this man which manifests itself in his violent, outward actions. This man is like a wounded animal - growling, snarling and slashing out at anyone who provokes or rouses him. Those wounds, big and gaping and bleeding, are what makes us realise that this man is not lashing out just for kicks and giggles. This inability to relate to other people in any other way makes him a pitiful creature, who is, at the same time, dangerous and someone to be highly wary of.
I'm not going to make excuses for Kawee's behaviour but there is a difference between a person who has received deep wounds through the neglect and and insensitivity of others and who is unable to find any alleviation and relief from such wounds except through the expression of rage and violence; compared to a person who very coldly and very deliberately sets out to destroy others for the pure enjoyment and satisfaction of it.
There is sympathy and understanding for one, and none for the other.
And, more importantly, there is hope for one, but none for the other.
And it takes a powerhouse actor to be able to let us distinguish between the two.
Thankfully, this show doesn't just have poor Kawee stay this way but takes us on a rather rough journey to how Kawee eventually changes from a dysfunctional man starved of love to one who eventually learns how to love by falling in love. It is not an easy journey for him but seeing him go through it, and seeing how Ken was able to portray the conflicts and changes Kawee goes through is a beautiful watch. Ken's plethora of best actor awards is truly well-deserved.
MUSIC
While I like the soundtrack and thought the character theme songs rather fitting, I did feel that this aspect of the show could have been better done. I personally think that some of the more emotional moments could have been more impactful and carry more gravitas or weight with a more deft hand in handling the background music.
RE-WATCH VALUE
Wow. I think whether a show is re-watchable is entirely subjective and depends on the person's individual experience with the show. For me, it was an emotionally provoking show, which is what makes this drama so powerful. It is not something I can take in large doses, but at the same time, it is not something I can entirely leave alone or forget about either.
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Movie isn't bad altough you might get dissaponted if you get used to Takeshi's Yakuza bad ass characters. You won't find anything like that here.
It also isn't typical cute romance like some school dramas... it's more like slice of life drama.
There is also not much going on on surface... not much talking( well main character is deaf;) yet action slowly moves forward... but i guess it's the way people live at coast ;]
Even if you won't like movie I'm sure you will like music. Very nice tunes.
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This review may contain spoilers
"Woman of Dignity became one of the highest rated Korean dramas in cable television history"to be honest when I first read this title it didn't really affect me because I never believed that high ratings = great drama but since I love KHS I thought why not watch at least I'll enjoy KHS beauty & I'm happy I didn't miss this great drama I'll get into details with no spoilers at all so read it with no worries :)
What I liked about this drama:
1- It's not your typical drama in terms of story, acting or even characters. we have two female leads that are the main story in the drama with supporting characters that each have a story of their own just as fun as the main story with everything connected to each other I usually get bored of dramas that focus mainly on the female & male leads so this was such a fun drama for me.
2- It gets better with time, 20 Ep was a scary thing for me since usually the last episodes would get draggy but that wasn't the case with this drama thankfully, it gets better and it's just so fun that you won't be skipping anything.
3- I liked the light comedy that was added to the story mainly by Jung Sang Hoon, the humor was such a breath of fresh air in this somehow tense drama
I feel like if I write more I would end up with spoiler so that's it a small review about Woman of Dignity I hope you enjoyed reading it .
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