Reviews

This movie is awesome. I'm so mad at myself for not finding it sooner, but still this movie is an encouragement for those who are currently losing hope. It was actually the first movie that made me shed tears, and it wasn't one time, I had cried throughout the movie! However, at the end I realize that I didn't cry because of Yuuki death but because of the motivation he left in his friends and the outlook he had on life in general. After finishing the movie you will understand, life isn't for accomplishing goals it's for learning. Even if you loss in a game or even while fighting a disease like Yuuki, as long as you tried your best and change your negative outlook, you've won. It might not be a full victory but you have at least won to life because you will have no regrets in the end. This movie motivates you to keep on trying and gave you a different outlook on life. As for someone like me who have no real experience in this world, the movie guide me toward finding a goal and encourage me to keep on living with a smile. The determination within Yuuki with slowly guide you to seeing the real meaning of victory. I really recommend this movie if you hadn't already seen it before. It's not a depressing movie like I've thought in the beginning but it is a very powerful movie. I hope this is helpful, enjoy!!! ^=^

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Be prepared for the essay that's about to become my review.

First of all, this drama is amazing. I know it isn't popular (how I don't know), but it is truly a gem, and I recommend all to watch it. This drama is extremely well thought out, and I don't know if I've ever watched a drama where the plot, characters, acting, just everything tbh, was super thought out.

Characters:

Woo Jin played by Yeo Jin Goo: That's right, I'm even going to mention who played who in this drama, because they were all that good, and deserve as much recognition as they can get, especially this guy. Before I watched Circle, I had only seen Jin Goo in Moon Embraces the Sun. But in that role he played the child story, and I was 13 when I watched that, so my memory is fuzzy, but I remember he did well. Watching Jin Goo in Circle, I thought I was watching acting art. I have never ever felt that when watching a drama before. In fact he was so good, that when I was feeling withdrawals from Jin Goo one weekend I watched two of his movies (Shoot my Heart and Long Way Home) which he also did great in. Despite his greatness in all of those roles though, I'd say he's done his best here and improved a lot. I would consider him equal or better to more veteran actors, and he's only 19. But enough on Jin Goo, let's talk about Woo Jin. Woo Jin is a great character. He is someone you're always rooting for no matter what. As the drama goes on, you can feel his desperation to find his brother growing, and you truly feel everything he feels. He will break your heart in all the right ways, and end up being your favorite character. While he is very good, pure, loyal, kind, and all the right things, he still manages to feel extremely relatable and human. His character was one of my favorite things about this drama.

Jung Yeon played by Gong Seung Yeon: I am rarely impressed with actresses in kdramas. This one did fantastic though, I would legit follow her. She essentially played three differently personas, and did them all so well! Very versatile. I hope we get more female characters with depth and real stories (besides being in love) in the future. I really loved her character and story. She is also someone you can't help but feeling for. She plays an alien that learns to be human in child story, a cute college girl who is also going through a hard time in 2017, and a rebel in 2037. I really love her in all the roles, and she does them so well!

Bum Gyun played by Ahn Woo Yeon: I have seen Ahn Woo Yeon in Five Children and Strong Woman. Let's just say those dramas didn't properly use his talent. This guy did excellent playing Bum Gyun. He played the slightly crazed, obsessed, playful, determined older brother so well. Though he was given few scenes (since 2017 is all about finding him lol), the scenes he's in he does phenomenal in. I really enjoyed his character and his pursue of the truth really made me think.

Joon Hyuk played by Kim Kang Woo: Kim Kang Woo also did a great job in his role! He really brought depth and emotion to his character later on in the series, and had a really realistic way of acting :) I can't go too much into his character without spoilers, but let's just say he really grew on me. I didn't really care about his character at first, but as the drama continued on I grew more and more attached to his character. I also found him really relatable and loved his story!

Ho Soo played by Lee Ki Kwang: I would say Ki Kwang was the weakest actor in the series, his voice was a tad too dramatic at times, BUT he still did well and brought life to his character Ho Soo. Ho Soo's character was a real nice touch the story. I loved seeing him grow, and I found the story with his girlfriend truly touching. With his character they brought complicated issues to light, and it really gave impact to the story. Also he's like the cutest thing ever, oh my gosh this guy was adorable lol. I really enjoyed his character!

Plot:

Wow. I told a user on here that if they wrapped everything up I'd give it a 1000 stars, 1000 stars it is then, because they wrapped everything up quite nicely. I've seen 12 episode dramas before (Sassy Go Go and Solomon's Perjury) and while I loved both of those to pieces, the ending was a bit rushed. Not in this drama, everything flowed naturally and made perfect sense. I don't know if there was a single plot hole. That is quite a hard feat to pull, especially with such limited space, so kudos to the writers for being so smart in their writing! In this drama, the villains and main cast are EQUALLY smart, and it truly makes it quite the ride. The plot is unpredictable, full of twists, but somehow still makes sense in the end. It is a rare thing for a drama to make the viewers think and question themselves, without dumbing them down, which is exactly what this drama did. Fantastic writing, and I am so proud!

Ending: No spoilers! I overall liked the ending, it wasn't rushed and answered everything I needed to know. There was a small disagreement I had, but I'm still giving it 10 stars so it clearly wasn't that big of a deal. Ending was really well done and definitely worth the ride!

I would truly recommend this drama to everyone, it was very well done and you can tell the writers truly cared about what they were writing about! It honestly deserves more recognition, and its a shame that the ratings aren't higher. This drama has made it into my top 5, so watch it!

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Wow! It's a first thing I have to say. This must be one of the best drama I have ever seen. With excellent beginning, middle and end and nothing, even nothing foreseeable. Of all the theories nothing ends like I thought and this ... this is excellent.
The Story line: Was confused in the beginning, because of the 2/3 fases of the story. But slowly and without showing to mutch everything will get in the line. I like that, and what they did, they they put everything together.

Bu they talnk about something important to, you memories and what they are to you, why is important to have them, even if they hurt you or make you sad they are important.

Acting / Casting: Perfect! Kim Kang Woo was once again perfect. I did not know much about Gong Seung Yeon, but she was excellent at every stage of the plot, wow I have to keep an eye on her.
Rewatch Value: over and over again.

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Even though some of you might say that this movie's plot is a little bit "predictable", I still find it innovative.
This review might and will contain spoilers, so don't read it if you didn't watch the movie yet.

The plot might sound and look simple, but it has a huge psychological depth.
Some kids, who is obsessed with social networks and virtual life more than their real one, decide to punish a rude girl who post malicious comments about a soldier's death.
They gather up to film this girl being punished. But when they enter her apartment, they discover that the girl has taken her life.
But something smells fishy. It doesn't look like a suicide. Someone murdered this girl and they want to find out who's this psycho.
The plot sounds like some cheap thriller movie, with young wannabe detectives who are chasing a pretty bad killer.
Nope, the director fooled you right in the beginning.
The main characters are the real murders. They played with this girl's mind, making her feel uneasy and scared.
Yet, no one of them want to admit that this girl killed herself because of their words.
Can some nasty comments push someone to commit suicide?
Are words more dangerous than weapons?
Yes, they are.
This movie shows how easily oppressors become victims and victims become nasty fellows.
Young Min is a real shining character. He admitted his wrongs, he was the first one who wanted to target this ""bad girl""", the first one who suggested that maybe this girl was killed by someone and also the first one who openly admitted that the killer was him.
Actually, all of them took part in it.
The internet is a nasty beast. If you keep feeding it, it will grow fatter and hungrier.
Overall, this movie told a good lesson.
The same lesson that all of us will soon forget after one hour.
A must watch.

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If you're looking for a drama that leaves you begging for more and has amazing plot twists, watch this.

From the first minute of this drama, I was hooked. Phenomenal cinematography alongside amazing actors -- I cannot recommend this drama enough.

STORY;
When it comes to crime and political dramas, I have seriously high expectations, but this drama met them instantly. Hell, it even surpassed them,
It is very different from the usual cliche dramas and does not sugar coat anything. If you want a plot line that will question your morals and have you seriously perplexed with what to think and lookout for (no pun intended); watch this.
Because it is crime and politics, you would think there would be cliche twists and over-used action *cough* The K2 *cough* BUT it is all seamless, well shot and written, with a highly intense story line with really well developed characters who have depth.

I also do not like dramas that shove the romance between the leads down our throats, basically, almost all kdramas, and hence, do not like general romance between characters. BUT because of the characters' well written backgrounds and development, I AM BEGGING FOR SOME ROMANCE TO OCCUR BETWEEN THE LEADS.

But due to the mind blowing twists, you have to inevitably accept the tension and lack of romance between the leads (but still hope for some romance)

This drama has changed my views and thus heightened my expectations for kdramas even more.

CAST;
I honestly was hesitant to watch this when I saw that Key from SHINee was in this, but oh man, he is good.
I am damn impressed with Kim Young Kwang, not to mention his height and demeanor is attractive as fuck. I always look for main leads that are psychologically complex and use their mind to play tricks, and Kim Young Kwang's character is emotionally complex, well executed and hot as fuck. He certainly plays the character well, as well as the character himself (Jang Do Han) is written for him perfectly. He has oozing charisma and makes you think why the hell is he being slept on.

I have a strong dislike for weak female leads which is no wonder that I do not like 90% of kdrama female leads, but the one in this drama is strong willed, determinate, independent and can sure as hell beat up someone. Lee Si Young is the perfect actress for this role.

MUSIC;
The first two are R&B and have a very unique vibe to them, very different from the typical ballads in other dramas that are overplayed at the wrong scenes.

OVERALL;
Watch this drama. Watch it.
I guarantee you that you will be hooked.
From complex characters, intricate questions regarding morale, intense and not over-used action to amazing acting and suitable OSTs and background music; this drama is the whole package.

UPDATE; after completing this drama, my heart's been broken.

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This is probably the best show I have watched that I couldn't predict! Just when you start to think you know what's going to happen, you don't. I about broke my neck there were so many plot twists, but I loved it!! I love how everything fit together and came together. It might be confusing or a bit slow in the first episode, but it picks up so fast to the point that you're practically running to keep up. I loved the story, the casting was on point, and so was the music. I wouldn't mind watching this again even if I know all the plot twists already. Since it is only 12 episodes it doesn't take that long to watch and it feels like it goes by so fast! All in all, I loved it and it's going on my favorites list!

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I'm a simple girl. I see Masaki Suda and Nana Komatsu starring in the same movie, and I watch.

The story albeit confusing was beautiful. I did not read the manga prior to watching this, and now, I feel as though I should in order to see a better glimpse of the plot. In the two hours of screentime this movie had, I'm a bit disappointed that the story was rather unclear. Even so, the story was captivating from the beginning, making me want to keep watching to see what was going to happen next. I find that it was slow around the middle of the movie, and fast paced at the beginning and end. Even in those slow moments, I felt immersed. This one was a heart wrenching tear jerker overflowing with love. The assault that was depicted made it very difficult for me to watch, but I did regardless. If you are not comfortable seeing sexual harassment and a bit of gore, I recommend that you not watch this movie, as assault was a big part of what was shown.

The cast! I loved Masaki Suda's performance. He captured the melancholy of Kou well and he made me want to break down in tears myself seeing Kou breaking down. His light hair and slim build seemed to suit Kou. In Nana Komatsu's previous works, she generally plays either a submissive or a cold character. Here, she depicts Natsume who is driven. I think that she did a wonderful job portraying Natsume. I admittedly had a bit of second lead syndrome, but Masaki Suda truly won, in my heart, anyway.

The music and sound effects were totally top notch. A+! The music added a sense of realism to the movie and made me feel as though I was there, experiencing everything happening.

I'm not sure if I'd ever watch this movie again, but I feel as though I will at some point.

I enjoyed watching this movie. I was waiting for it for ages and when it finally came out, I was a little bit disappointed. Nonetheless, it was definitely not a waste of my time, and I am glad I watched it. It made my eyes leak for quite a while.

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I had very high expectations for Aoharaido after enjoying the anime adaptation and reading the manga.

Gladly, these expectations were met for the most part, and I was left generally satisfied. As this movie was based off of the manga, of course the story would be wonderful. Since this is a movie adaptation, it is inevitable that some beloved moments in the manga will not be included due to time restraint. Nonetheless, I feel as though the scenes we were able to see did the manga justice.

Admittedly, the acting seemed a bit awkward, unnatural, or corny at some points. That is my only complaint. Otherwise, the cast did do a great job representing the characters and I truly felt for them. The older actors gave this movie a mature feel, which I believe is suiting for this story and the ambiance of the movie.

The soundtrack was amazing. I have it saved on my Spotify to listen to before I go to sleep. It is so soothing and accompanies the scenes and events at the perfect moments, and each and every song was beautiful.The music adds depth to the movie. I commend the composer, Yuki Hayashi, for the wonderful music.

No matter what, I always come back running to this movie a few times a year to get my romance and tear jerker fix. I have rewatched this movie countless times for the fact that I just love it.

Overall, I would give this movie a 9.5/10. It hits all the marks, but there are a few things I feel as though could be improved and polished up. Nevertheless, it was amazing.

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I want to give this a higher rating closer to 9, but the last few episodes was just such a downer. I also did not like the ending. It's purely my personal wish but I wanted this to have more seasons.

The best thing about this drama is the cast. The two main leads are hilarious. The supporting cast is also great, including the guests. The story is not that great since it differs from episode to episode, so your mileage may vary.

Overall, I would check this out of you are a fan of either the main leads. Otherwise, as much as I love this drama, you might not like it due to it's quirkiness, and pacing issues down in the later episodes.

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I am sad that this lovely dorama had low ratings. As fan of NwP, I think this was a wonderful reunion. Kame's and Yamapi's roles were perfect for them, and I could feel that they had fun working together again. I much prefer Kame in this kind of role: honest, a bit enthusiastic, hard-working, a bit silly, a bit naive. Kinda like his character in "One Pound Gospel", only less, LESS, enthusiastic. And Yamapi, dead-fish-eyes Yamapi, whom I don't really like (although I can't hate either, since he is so calm, and, well, nice), was lovely as GOD. Anyway, both of them were perfect in their roles, and their scenes together were so enjoyable to watch.

Maybe Horikita Maki has retired, but Kimura Fumino looked a bit like Maki (in my opinion) in this dorama. It may be her short hair. It may be her high cheekbones and sweet smile. From certain angles, she looked like Maki.

I don't understand why some people say she was frustrating in the first couple of episodes. I think any girl, especially any girl with bad experience in love, would be wary of any guy, no matter how cute or honest he looks, who approaches her and tells her he is her destiny. It is expected of the girl to be cautious, to be in doubt. If she agreed to be with him from the very beginning, I would have thought she was too naive and easy.

The story has the perfect amount of friendship (Makoto and his "rival", Haruko and Mitsue), good comradeship (Makoto and GOD, Makoto and his boss, Makoto and his coworkers), a nice rival (who is not really a rival, and who is just one of the nicest guys ever), present parents (who are there for their daughter). I liked the different tasks Makoto had to do, since it all served for a reason.

I am not satisfied with the ending. I was left with a "this is it??". I think there should be a SP. There HAS to be.

I love the OP and ED sequences. The dance was cute, and the song is pretty. I also like Yamapi's smirk when both of them are sitting in the couch, in the ED sequence. Only that, that same smirk is somewhat bittersweet in the final episode :(

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Just finished watching this, and for some reason, while I thoroughly enjoyed it, I guess I expected more with all the hype. (That, and the previous j-movie i watched was Orange so like...pretty high standards lawl.) The story is quite predictable for those who have seen a lot of romance live actions before, but nonetheless, it was a fun watch. I absolutely adored the music aspect and the "music is freedom" vibe because as a musician myself, I couldn't think of a better way to phrase that. Very similar storyline to Koizora, in my opinion.

Loved the casting!! Most of the cast are actual teenagers, making the story more believable, and they all brought their own little charm to the screen. Our two main leads did a phenomenal job with making their characters three dimensional, and I felt very connected to both of them, though did feel they lacked a bit of chemistry. The two main leads spent half a year training before filming to look more professional with the instruments, so I really appreciate their dedication!

Ahhh the music was great. The instrumental pieces were perfect (as usual for j-movies), and the songs really set the vibe for the film. The soundtrack wasn't a huge piece for the movie, though did add nice accompaniment at times.

Overall, a great way to spend an afternoon, but not something that absolutely blew my mind.

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I just finished re-watching Shopping King Louis because I wanted something that would be a nice break from all the melodrama that my other shows are currently going through. This kdrama is light and fluffy, like popcorn or cotton candy. Seo In Guk as the sheltered chaebol amnesiac Kang Ji Seong/Louis. He's bright and naive and delightful and beautiful. Nam Ji Hyun plays Go Bok Shil, the country girl who comes to Seoul to find her missing brother and crosses paths with Louis who is homeless and can't remember anything about himself. These two just fit together and there's never really a moment's concern that either of the second leads will come between them. Yoon Sang Hyun as curmudgeon Cha Joong Won is over the top and hilarious. The back and forth jealousy between him and Louis over Bok Shil makes me laugh every damn time. Seo In Guk is a joy to watch as Louis learns about the world while searching for his identity. Everything in this drama is over the top enough to actually veer into the category of caricature, but it does so in such a way that I never felt cheated when watching it.

I would definitely watch this again when I'm in the mood for a feel good time. I still give it overall 10 stars, even though I give the story only 8.5. Nothing in the story breaks ground, but the paths it treads are familiar and comfortable.

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Overall... this drama was great ! I heard lots of bad reviews but I still watch it because I love the main couple. I give this drama a 9/10 because the story line was very good, love chemistry was adorable, and the acting hits me so much, like I feel all the emotions that the main girl Pin had. The 1/10 was that I wanted more, more of the love chemistry and less rush of the drama. The drama was short. It would've been better if the love ending extends more. I love how this drama sort of connects with another drama's characters!! Okay not trying to spoil anything ! This drama is a watch ! By the way, the main girls character was not annoying to me because I really do see that in real life me, personally watching the drama I learned a lot from her and the character is very strong with a kind mind. Thanks for reading my review !

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