Reviews

This is my first asadora and it got me hooked when download this never ending episode (okay that's exaggerate)
i even still can't get over it after finishing it.

You'll love the stubborn, naive, unstable, cheerful, annoying Aki.
She has a grat chemistry with her seniors, like Koizumi Kyoko, Yakushimaru Hiroko, and Miyamoto Nobuko
All the character was solid. Everyone got their own portion for this looong story.
I have to admit that Kudo Kankuro can bring Arimura Kasumi to next level. Maybe i like her acting on this only drama.
If i have to pick the weak character is Fukushi Sota (well he always be weak anyway)

Honestly, at first i feel that the shift from being an Amasan to idol is quite shocking and sometimes the story is being dragged. But thanks to Kudo sensei to make a twist development of the story.

Well i have no regret to spare my 35GB space disk for this gem.

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I should probably preface this by saying I'm still a fangirl of Kame and YamaPi back from when they were teens. squeeee I've been waiting patiently for 12 years to see these 2 share a scene together (the idea of a full series was too much to hope for). They didn't disappoint. I don't know if they're friends (I don't even know if YamaPi is still a Johnny), but I do know their chemistry is unstoppable. YamaPi (Tomohisa Yamashita) plays a mysterious man that calls himself God. God is quirky and has his own way of speaking not unlike Akira from Nobuta wo Produce. Kame (Kazuya Kamenashi) plays Masaki Mokoto a somewhat uptight forthright guy. The female lead played by Fumino Kimura is a woman who has been hurt and has serious trust issues.

One thing I've learned over the years about Kame is that he manages to have chemistry with everyone. I don't know if it's a Pisces ebb and flow thing, but there's never been a point in any of his dramas that I've thought 'ugh, why are they even in the same space?' He may prefer other roles (murderer, thief, alien, spy), but he excels at comedy and romance. In Boku Unmei he leads a great cast that work together like a well oiled machine. Aside from the 3 leads, the cast is peppered with great veteran actors. Their chemistry is fantastic. They truly work well together.

Boku Unmei's production is top notch. It's well written. The directing and editing are good and there are no glaring continuity issues. There are many humorous if not downright funny scenes. The funniest are, of course, the ones between Mokoto and God. So, yeah, the story is pretty damn good. It's fairly original. God comes and tells an ordinary salaryman that he has to romance and impregnate his destined woman within a few months in order to save the world in 30 years. No pressure.

The music is fine. There's a lot of classical including my favorite, Claire de Lune. The ending theme sung by Kame and YamaPi is fun only because of the ending scenes. Other than that it's pretty forgettable.

Boku Unmei no Hito is a thoroughly enjoyable romcom with a high rewatch value. The characters are oddballs and the cast is great. The story is solid and good. You don't have to be someone who has been waiting for a Nobuta reunion of sorts to enjoy it. If you've never seen any of these actors before or if you've never watched a Japanese drama (for some odd reason), this is the one to watch.

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I had started off this drama eagerly seeing as the concept "Flower Boys" was plastered over the drama. However, that captivating concept only lasted so long before it wasn't enough to satisfy, especially during the last half of the drama. Hwarang is built upon a seemingly promising cast that I watched for -- Choi Minho, Park Hyungsik and Taehyung -- they were eye candy, (especially Hyungsik) but they could not salvage what mediocre plot the drama had to offer.

After finishing the drama, I can't really recall exactly what was the plot, which was my biggest issue with Hwarang. I found the beginning to be quite promising, but as the story progressed, it became dull, lacking, and grudgingly slow. While there are some subplots and I suppose one larger plot of discovering and accepting identity between the two male leads, none of them seemed rather relevant or worth binging for. It was repetitive and pointless, and the redundant and repetitive parallel ideas of a "Silla where the king is in agony, and the people propser, unifying Silla, becoming powerful" between Ji Dwi and Sun Woo were repeated with such grandure that it seemed almost comical, as though directed towards a middle school children audience. Despite that situation, there wasn't much political drama that occured worth mentioning, which was what I expected to see within historical dramas. All the questions and tension were dragged on until the very last episodes which was resolved extremely quickly through a few shared words between actors.

Another problem that bothered me was the overemphasis of the Hwarang, the group of flowering knights who were to be Silla's army. They appeared to be a trophy to showcase at one point and I wished that they could have been given more challenges after the second half of the story to further character development within the Hwarang and encourage bromance, or used for some purpose to further plot development as to how they changed Silla. I suppose it is because the drama started to shift its focus from the Hwarang to drama between the two main leads and the romance that unfortunately, was also mediocre at best. There was no chemistry between the leads, and for once in my drama career, I did not care particularily for the love triangle, even though I rooted for one of them slightly over the other. Ah Ro isn't very memorable of a character either, simply because she isn't given opportunites to play a significant role in the plot. I have no idea why she's at the Hwarang house, she provides nothing but to toy with the two lead's emotions. I didn't really like her as the lead either, perhaps it seemd as though it wasn't her type of drama. Something about it didn't seem to click with her and watching her scenes became a chore because she cried so often over her little boy dramas.

I also wished they could have given side characters more screentime, because I was very interested in Ban Ryu's story and his struggle with romance, family and status. I found Soo Hee and Ban Ryu to be very enjoyable, much more than the main romance. However, there were a lot of plot holes and questions that were never answered, and the Bone Rank system that created a lot of conflict was never explained in great detail. A lot of Hwarang's backstories were not explained and flushed out in great detail either, when the potential lied not in the main leads but the Hwarang, hence the title of the drama itself.

The OSTs were alright but nothing special, just like the drama. Overall, the drama was lacking. It is an easy watcher, for middle schoolers to enjoy, but nothing worth serious investment and bingewatching that I would normally do. Unfortunately it was quite dissapointing after the last half when the beginning had a different atmosphere to it and some potential that was never flushed out.

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[pemula] Awalnya agak ngebosenin untuk ditonton, tapi begitu mulai ketemu inti ceritanya baru mulai naik serunya.

Agak sulit untuk nyebutin kekurangan dari drama ini, selain suka dengan storynya yang seger, acting dari para castnya juga wajib diacungin jempol. Setiap mimik muka dibawa dengan ekspresif. Setiap episodenya juga diwarnai dengan bumbu konflik yang baru dan ga itu itu doang, Komedinya yang sangat hidup bikin drama satu ini jadi menarik, Belum lagi ada beberapa plot twist yang tidak mudah ditebak. Konfliknyapun cukup nusuk dan bisa ngebawa baper saya ketika nonton ini

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“The song that I madly, deeply wanted to sing... That song should've been mine.”

It's been exactly 3 weeks since I completed this movie, and I've made sure that I'm not emotionally attached or blindingly giving full scores. I can't find any fault in this piece, still. I never had such a hard time trying to put my amazement into words. I hate to spoil or guide you to view this film in a certain way, but I believe that the synopsis and the trailer are already a huge spoiler, so here's my attempt to elaborate:

Let me tell you first that this is not a “journey to stardom” kind of music movie or a story about two girls pulling each other's hair and fighting over a guy. Of course it does revolve around the themes of music and jealousy, but there are more to this than just being another love triangle story between musicians.

There is an absolute charm to how its English title accurately describes what this film has to offer. “Love, Lies” speaks for its entire composition: 50% hope and 50% despair, and I don't say that lightly; this film boldly runs for 1 hour telling the story of love, friendship, hope and dreams while building up the tension, then, later at its 50% mark, turns into a story of lies, jealousy, betrayal and broken heart for another hour. It also wraps up with guilt and consequences at the end, leading you to fully sympathize with every decision made by the main character no matter how crooked she’s become.

The setting in 1943-1945, the very end of Japanese occupation era in Korea, was fully utilized here and it intertwined so well with the music theme. It was the last two years that “gisaengs” existed. It was the most modern period of those Japanese backdrops. Also, Korea's liberation at the end of the story plays a good part. Here is where it could become difficult for some people to give this film a high score; the movie does require a little understanding of “musician mindset”.

Music is a form of art, and by art, it means there's no correct answer. It’s very subjective and personal. One may view music as something suitable for high class, but on the other hand it’s never wrong to think that music should belong to people in every social status. This conflict will set lover conflicts in motion in the story. So, think: What if your musician lover prefers someone else’s voice rather than yours? It’s unfavorable, but it’s not wrong, right?

Because the man in question is a musician – a pop music composer, it somewhat allows his unfavorable choices to slip through. It’s quite a given that his mind does not (need to) function entirely logically. He makes choices based on his artistic hunch. When he, according to the synopsis, “falls in love” with his girlfriend’s best friend, I came to fully accept the fact, although I didn’t support his decision either. And that was just one of the many reasons I loved how thoroughly planned the writing for this film was.

The Korean title for this movie “Hae-eo-hwa” is another old term for “gisaeng”, women who received high education in music to perform in front of and entertain men of high social status. “Hwa” means flower, so “haeeohwa” also means “a flower that understands human’s words”. The term represents how women (gisaengs) were treated as social inferior. This “haeeohwa” theme plays a big part in the film more than just suggesting the leads’ profession. One woman is willing to follow the guidance of a man she loves, and another goes against her own beliefs and throws herself at another man to gain power to take back what she loves.

All of these are combined into great storytelling, and in the end, you will see for yourself whether it was the “artistic mindset”, the social derogation of women, a man’s swayed heart, a friend’s betrayal… or it was entirely something else that ruined it all.

“Why did ____ not know back then that it was good enough?”

Also, don’t forget to keep an eye on the minor character Kim Okhyang. She doesn’t appear often, but she’s another character that will leave you with many thoughts in the end.

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I was stunned by Han Hyojoo’s acting as the sweet yet heartbroken Jung Soyul. Facial expressions were the key to this character’s portrayal, and she was utterly perfect. Casting Chun Woohee as Han Hyojoo’s best friend who needs to look and feel smaller and a bit inferior was also a great decision. Yoo Yeonseok’s laid-back demeanor was definitely suitable for his music composer role. He also deserves compliments for his months of effort in practicing piano just for this movie. Everyone including the supporting cast really made this movie come to life.

As for the music, there are plenty of music movies that fail to deliver an excellent result in the music department. This movie did not just reach my expectation but surpassed it to an exceptional level. Traditional “Jeongga” music and 1940’s trot are not what would appeal to everyone’s ears, but this movie made their music very sweet, easy to listen and memorable. For additional points, the two lead actresses performed every song themselves, and they were spectacular.

Lastly, the artistic department deserves great compliments. Locations, costumes and props were top-notch. Cinematography presented this film in vibrant colors, and the composition was beautiful from the beginning till the end. Everything was grand and aesthetically pleasing here.

I usually don’t rewatch, but I will definitely watch this one many times.
I absolutely recommend this film to everyone.

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This story could've been great, it really could've. They deal with many though-provoking issues such as:
-if you're poor do you have a chance to defend yourself?
-if you're a criminals child, are you automatically treated as a criminal?
-if you're famous, does your lack of privacy, cause you to do terrible things?
-are we as loyal as we claim?
and the list goes on.
For the most part these issues are well handled until the end. I found the characters Doo Man and Ji Gong realistically dealt with. My issue is with Yong Bi. What happens at the end with his character, is totally unrealistic, and really shows no development to that side. I ended up being very disappointed and the way they set up his story, I shouldn't have. I also thought Sang Woo's fate while realistic, a little too convenient. Overall, I thought the writers were trying too hard to make you feel depressed in humanity, and don't even give a solid reason for me to. I would sleep on this one, there are better social commentaries to watch.

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This was barely an 8 due to the ending, more like a 7.5 or 8 depending on my mood. I chose to give it an 8 though, because lets be real I'm a sucker for student-teacher stories, as they remind me of why I want to be a teacher (I'm working towards being a elementary school teacher). This movie did exactly that, it reminded me of why I want to teach, and gave me that fresh excitement all over again. The teacher-student interactions were cute, and it was nice to see how they effected EACH OTHER. Typically in these stories, the teacher has got it all, and he effects the students. Not in this story. Mr. Perfect, well isn't perfect, and has his own issues to figure out. Him serving the island and being a teacher helps him lead to his own road of self-discovery and renewal. The students aren't perfect either. They have their own personal struggles and problems, and it's nice to see the teacher effect their lives and show them that they truly have an adult by their side. I particularly liked his relationship with Byeong Joo. It was nice for Byeong Joo to have an adult on his side, and for him to open up to his teacher :) I would also like to add, that this movie was funny and had me laughing out loud at some parts. It was truly a joy to watch :) Now, it's not all roses, and there are some things I had problems with. One being, the overly light treatment of Byeong Joo and his problems with his father. Though this is mainly due to culture differences, in how that specific topic is treated. I personally thought that things were a bit too smooth, and found it unrealistic. The second problem I had was the ending. At first I was going to to give this a 6 I was so mad. But after discussing with a friend whose also seen the movie, I realized that this movie is about Mr. Perfect's personal journey. The movie does fulfill that, just in an unexpected way. The ending was a tad bit unsatisfying, but really it's like the last 10 minutes, and the rest of it is so good.

Overall, I would recommend this movie. The ending could've been done better, but the rest of it was well-done and worth the watch. Also, for those curious, I'll leave a comment explaining my interpretation of the ending below.

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This is definitely a sweet little sentimental film. Unlike many time-travel dramas and movies, it uses this theme in the sense of “what if” and leaves viewers to reflect about life. The lead character does not go back in time to save the world but to merely save his loved ones. It’s personal and small-scale. I loved the reactions (I wouldn’t say ‘relationship’) between his present and past self, and I thought they looked so much like father and son.

This movie had a quite ‘commercial’ mood, meaning they made the overall tone light enough to reach a wide range of viewers. The directing, the cinematography, the atmosphere, even the story and the core message itself weren’t explored in depth. Personally I think It lacked personality, considering the fact that I enjoy independent films where messages are deeper and cinematography targets my ‘aesthetic trash’ self. In the story here there’s only a bit of romance, a bit of friendship, a bit of comedy, a bit of family and a bit of medical, portrayed in a rather vibrant palette. Nothing particularly stood out. Nothing deep.

However, this could be a good point for someone who’s looking for a rather light watch. It’s really nothing grand like its *wrong* choice of tagline: “What if you get 10 chances to change your past?” It doesn’t drive you to calculate your ability for 10 times time-travel that much.

Acting was really great in here. The leads Kim Yoonseok and Byun Yohan were alive in their roles. Other actors also did well. The music didn’t stand out to me, but it wasn’t awkward. It also seems like an easy choice to rewatch, but I don’t really know what I’d rewatch this for. I’m not a re-watcher so don’t mind my score.

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I must say, Circle is the closest to a near-perfect minidrama that I've ever seen. In just 12 episodes it succinctly and cleverly delivers a solid and captivating story without being overly ambitious nor disappointingly sparse. Was is my favorite drama of 2017? Probably not. So why do I pretentiously name it as a near-perfect minidrama? Because despite it not being my personal favorite (I still thoroughly enjoyed it), it is the pinnacle of what a minidrama should be. Usually, due to limited runtime, 12-episode dramas either are too ambitious and fail to properly articulate the story/message, or they just forego substance altogether. Circle's writing, editing, and formatting is able to present a story, message, and impact that balances pace and relevance.
It's easy to mix up sci-fi and fantasy. In my dictionary, fantasy tends to focus more on lore, while sci-fi is more focused on the consequences of human's actions. I'm not going to spoil anything, but I will confirm that this is sci-fi. There's action, tech, and definitely some curveballs, but if you're looking for something more fantasy, this drama may not be what you want. If you're looking for some action and thought-provoking narrative, I'd highly recommend this.
Now for the best part: the cast and acting. With such a short and fast-paced drama, a huge burden shifts from the story to the actors; they basically have to carry the story along. I've watched some of Yeo Jin Goo's child acting, which was enjoyable, but him as a lead was very impressive. Aside from the fact that he's just so darn pretty, he's able to express emotion far beyond his young age. The biggest surprises here were Kim Kang Woo and Lee Ki Kwang. I must say that Kang Woo stole the entire show (sorry Jin Goo). I've never seen him before, but I plan to keep watching his works; I haven't seen an actor display such raw emotion in a long time. He even moved me to tears in my favorite scene of this drama. As for Ki Kwang, I didn't know what to expect from an idol actor, but he blew me away. I felt every emotion he expressed, when he smiled, I found myself smiling. When he was distressed, I felt his frustration. Absolutely amazing. As for Gong Seung Yeon, I recently became a HUGE fan after Introverted Boss and My Only Love Song. This girl will make it big. She's absolutely charming.
As for music, there's only 2 songs on the OST, but they're solid. Not the best, but definitely enough for this drama.
As for rewatch value, I think this is the only drama I would give a 10. It's so complex that I'm tempted to go back and find clues.
Overall, a very good drama. Some may find unsatisfying plot holes, but I had no problem with the omitted information. It's heavy on action and humanity, and light on world-building and lore.

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