For the most part, the show was pretty good. But I think the plot got lost somewhere in the middle. Great potential was just never fully realized, and I think this could have done with maybe a few more episodes.
But this drama did have some great kiss scenes, so there is that.
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Story ? this is such a brilliant story; I found myself clenching my jaw and utterly glued to the screen from the thrill and suspense it held. The writers and producers for this drama did an incredible job at keeping the viewer hooked from episode one to fourteen. The plot is interesting and the twists in the story make perfect sense and fit the story as well. It focuses more on the medical aspect and the major issue involved with it without forcing the 'love' romance idea down your throat like any other drama. The leads slowly ease into each other without it feeling forced which was amazing in my eyes. I couldn't stop crying with each episode. It doesn't fail to deliver a bit of comedy in between. Some of the characters do get scenes of their own where you get to see their struggles and the way being a doctor affects each one, gets you really connected to the rest of the medical crew. (Dr. Yang Sung Eun and his friend/Dr. Lee Shi hyun and the heart transplant patient, etc). This show was cut down two episodes short which got me really upset since this is such a good drama. Even so, they closed the drama really cleanly with a beautiful ending, nothing left unsolved and it doesn't feel rushed or forced either.
Acting/cast ? The entire cast did an amazing job, especially Jang Hyuk who gave a brilliant performance at playing such a difficult character. I personally really like Park So Dam, I think she's absolutely gorgeous and very natural when she acts. Her character (Jinsung) was very irritating at the very beginning but I suppose it was set to be this way by the producers until you slowly warm up to her in later episodes.The chemistry between the two leads was great (everyone talk about their age gap but I really didn't care of even took it into account). The cast does a great job at playing each of their characters and they never fail to make you cry with the way they play out those tear jerking scenes. They did a great job.
Music ? I'm so in love with it, it's by Bernard Park which I adore his voice ever since he was in KPOPSTAR. They couldn't have chosen a better singer for this. The OST is beautiful, it tugs on your heartstrings immediately once it starts playing. Give it a listen for sure. (DIRT by Bernard Park) Aside from the main ost, they did a great job to use instrumental music instead of sappy OST's like every drama shoves at every single scene so it was refreshing. They put the right music in the right moments to get the right mood.
Overall, I recommend anyone watch it and even though you might not like the first few episodes I suggest you continue because you do warm up to everyone and the story gets better with each episode. This is a gem you must not miss! Definitely on of my top favorite dramas.
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I was prepared to give 9/10 or even more for this drama but the last episode especially made me shift because see, the important ingredient to an amazing drama is its conclusion. And this drama's conclusion was so fast, so rushed, and leaving so many questions unanswered. I sincerely hope they come back around for a second season only because I need to know more.
The acting was subpar. I absolutely loved Kim Seul Gi and Key's characters and I will miss the dose of joy it gave to see them on screen. I also am in awe of Lee Shi Young and Kim Young Kwang's acting were so fresh and raw. I have to especially give props to Park Solomon's acting because he had me absolutely appalled and despising his character from beginning to end.
So, bottom line is, I adored this show I was even considering it to be one of my faves, but its conclusion - which wasn't much of one - left me bewildered and wanting more.
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Story:
Like the original manga/Japanese drama, the center of the drama is the owner of a diner that only opens from midnight to 7am, and the stories revolve around his diner customers (some are regular, most just happen to pass by to tell their story, and life goes on). Every storyline features a specific dish, and usually lasts anywhere from 1 to 4 episodes.
One of the biggest issues that I have with this show is the inconsistent tone - and that may be directly connected to the way they use Master (played by Huang Lei). There are stories where he's like his Japanese counterpart and is merely a wise observer and supporter of the world around him. But there are other stories where he's basically inserted himself into his customer's lives that feels almost intrusive and very unlike the Master. Of course, if you haven't seen the source material, this may not be an issue, but Midnight Diner isn't supposed to be about the Master - it's supposed to be about the stories of its customers. I also read that because this was such a sprawling drama, the director ?of Black & White!) had to pull in some other directors to film certain episodes, which might also contribute to the inconsistency.
Due to this, there are certain stories that I think excelled more than others (and you can definitely pick the episodes you want to watch without missing anything) - and when the drama did it right, it did a phenomenal job of integrating social commentary, humanity, and sentiment. I didn't really care for the stories of the regulars though, who were mostly there for comic relief and played by unconvincing actors.
The standout stories, in my opinion, would of course feature the one starring Mark Zhao and Qi Wei, which also got the most publicity. The story of a deaf single father, his adorable five year old daughter, and the mother that comes back into their lives left me completely wrecked emotionally. It had a couple of weird plot holes, but was one of those stories that I can totally see standing alone as a movie and totally succeeding.
But my absolute favorite was the "Red Braised Pork" episodes - featuring a bitter, retired ex-surgeon who is paralyzed from the waist down, and his caretaker, a simple woman from the countryside who just wants to give her baby son a better life. This was such a realistic depiction of two Chinese social trends - the regard of the elderly as a burden on their offspring, and the sacrifices workers from the countryside have to make for a better tomorrow.
There's a couple of other cute stories in here - the one featuring Cherrie Ying, for example, was short and bittersweet, but very realistic. It really kind of shows that the snippets that we see via the show are just that - they're little moments in a person's life, but it's fleeting and temporary, and whatever situation they're going through eventually passes, and life goes on for everyone. It doesn't mean that we need to belittle whatever we feel in the moment, but instead appreciate that time, as cruel as it may seem, never stops.
Acting/Cast:
I'm 80% convinced that Huang Lei took this role (aside from the fact that he's a producer) just so he can cook. Those who follow Chinese reality shows know that he is especially known for his love of cooking. Because to be frank, I think he was miscast for this role (and the script didn't help in that regard). Huang Lei's not a subtle actor by any means - he emotes a lot with his eyes, and it was a little bit too much at times in this. It sometimes took me out of the scenes because he was basically hinting at emotions that probably weren't even supposed to be there.
As I mentioned earlier, the recurring actors were mostly annoying and used for comic relief (thought not well). The guest stars were usually much better, and were given much more nuanced stories as well.
If this was a movie, Mark Zhao would probably get an award of some kind (and he still might - there was a lot of buzz about his appearance) - that's how good he was with a surrounding cast that wasn't as strong. Mark aside, the little girl who plays his daughter was absolutely delightful and nailed her parts, and Qi Wei, who has not impressed me in most of her dramas, was surprisingly good and moved me to tears.
Jin Shi Jie and Liang Jing, the stars of the aforementioned "Red Braised Pork" story, were absolutely fantastic. Both seasoned actors renowned for their acting skills, they pulled off the banter and the emotional baggage of their characters with remarkable skill, and showed phenomenal chemistry as well.
Other standouts: Janine Chang's turn as an actress with a sad past was touching despite weak directing and a really weird performance by Huang Lei. Cherrie Ying is still great at bubbly, outgoing characters. And Liu Hao Ran is definitely in line for the next generation of leading actors - he was the saving grace of a story that was basically asking for your tears, and yet I was never compelled to give in until he started crying.
Music:
The music was absolutely perfect for this show - the songs were a nice mix of introspective, observing, bittersweet, and uplifting.
Overall:
Sometimes it's nice to watch a show that's just about life - all the ups and downs, the little moments and the life defining ones. Despite its flaws, the drama did what it was intended to - it makes you feel, and it makes you think about the stories of those around you. In a drama landscape that is filled with , spies/military intrigue, wuxia, family drama and fantasy, this was a breath of fresh air.
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This movie made me cry actual tears so many times that I lost the count. It is a truly touching story that is so realistic it makes you sick. No, it literally makes me sick to just think about the fact that this story might be a reality for many people.
The acting was amazing in my opinion, considering both leads are straight. I watched it a few times already so I know many scenes from my head. There are many meaningful scenes that you will either understand or not understand. In my opinion, if you have never experienced discrimination of some sort, you probably won't understand this movie.
I, as a girl that's constantly questioning her sexuality, think of this movie as a really special one. It is certainly one of my favorites.
You know when a movie gives you that familiar feeling? Like you've seen it... or like you can think of a same scenario that would actually happen in real life? Sadly, this movie gives me that feeling. I really wish it wouldn't though...
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This drama was so fun to watch! The actors all did an amazing job and it is just the perfect noona romance! So lovely to watch!
I would say it's rather light hearted, but for me, who is a fan of heavy tragedy dramas, this was just a nice break from the tears and heartbreak. I won't lie tho, I did cry for this drama! Oh I did...
One thing with this drama that many people disliked, was the character of the female lead. I am one of those few people that actually liked her. No matter how weird or crazy she might seem to others, I think that she was the perfect picture of an independent person. Much more realistic than all perfect female leads out there...
Also, if you want to die laughing... This is your drama. Every single episode made me laugh out loud and I'm so happy I gave it a chance, I suggest you do too!^^
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This review may contain spoilers
Okay so let me get started... Before I write anything I just want to say that since everyone adored this show so much... You will probably hate me for this. But here is a realistic review, based on my opinion. Oh, how I anticipated this drama! Omg, I was so hyped! I rewatched the trailers, teasers...! When the first few episodes came out, I was honestly so happy that I finally found something good and different. The idea for this drama was so great! Maybe too great to be true, or just too great to be able to become a good drama.
Around episode 8 I ended up dropping it. This was around the time when the romance started to begin. I did expect romance, as it's one of the drama's genres... But for me, the romance was boring and somehow dull. It was very clique and the chemistry, I don't care what y'all say, the chemistry was nowhere to be found! The two characters missed something and I found myself liking the side characters more than the actual main couple!
The acting... We all know this drama has some high-quality actors, especially the leads. However, their characters were rather boring and uninteresting. The perfect male lead, that was so perfect that I don't think any of the viewers could relate to him in any way. I personally like more realistic characters that I can relate to even a little bit. I could not find anything relatable is this drama. Because it was so abnormal... Even the most sci-fi, fantasy dramas have more relatable characters than W had.
I picked up the drama again, about a year after it aired, yesterday that is. I dropped it again after one episode and found spoilers. I honestly think that this would've turned out much better if they developed the characters a bit more, so they seemed more human like, and if they cut the romance crap unless it was something original.
I understand that he is supposed to be perfect since he is a cartoon character, but that just made the drama seem boring. Why not have a little bit more human-like cartoon character, since he was basically a human anyways...
I'm sorry for the bad review. I hope you still give W a chance even after reading this. Because so many people loved this drama to death and you will probably be one of them. It's just not my type...
Hope you found this helpful!
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- Waste of both main leads talents. They are great actors but here.. NO.
- Childish story like fanfics and hilarious ending.
- No chemistry between main leads.
- Predictable and cliché drama.
- 18 OST but 2 or 3 was good.
- Why they mentioned historical lee sun at the beginning with exactly same born date and mother name? Just for fun? What the flower.
*Positive Points:
- Strong secend female lead. (Annoying at the beginning)
- beautiful costumes.
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The plot was very interesting for this drama. It was SOOOOOO SAD and amazing how everything went and the truth behind everything. I feel like I wanna watch the news everyday now lol. Overall it was sad but VERY INTERESTING.
Now there love story was just........unbelievable. How everything went to be and how they were destined to be together. It was so cool. LJS and PSH did an amazing job for everything. And not only them but everyone else as well. They were perfect ????????????????????????????????
????*WARNING*WARNING*WARNING*????
I fell for LJS in this drama. This is the 3rd drama I've watched with LJS in and my heart already fluttered bc of him when I watched "doctor stranger" but I was.....ummm......denying it bc I didn't wanna betray my oppa(someone) but I just couldn't. And u wouldn't call this betrayal right???? It's just.....um......I'm sharing my love yo one more person. ????????????. SHARINGS CARING. As u all know.
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