Reviews

New to watching Japanese Dramas so I love the fact the story is usually 11 episodes and I can binge watch. This drama was a surprise -- it was unique in all the right places. I enjoyed the coming of age aspects that were so real and emotional. Every character had flaws but every character caused the viewer to become "vested" or "divested". Life is complicated-- not perfect and the story writer and director planted a seed that transformed into a tree that grew branches -- then flowered - some flowers are weak or ugly and others were beautiful and strong. I felt like I watching a handbook on growing up and adapting to life's realities. Some scenes were not for the faint of heart. If I had a young teenage daughter I would sit down with her and watch this drama together.-- lots of talking points.

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This little drama was cute and heartbreaking. I swear I cried for the entirety of episodes 4-8.

I loved seeing the story from both characters perspectives. I really enjoyed watching Yoo Tak's character development. It's amazing how much they were able to show in such short episodes.

The storyline was super interesting as well. I definitely wasn't expecting anything that happened. I won't say anything more so there's not spoilers. But there was no predicting this drama honestly.

What did fall a little short was L's acting. He's definitely gotten better but it was still a little hammed up. Especially in the first two episodes. I just didn't find it very believable.

I also think episode 3 dragged a little bit story wise. It almost made me drop the drama. For a drama with a very short episode length and not a lot of episodes. It felt like they were wasting times and being a little too repetitive. But episode 4 and the rest of the drama definitely made getting past that worth it.

Overall, this was a cute, quick, and heartbreaking watch with a deliciously open ended final episode.

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I've watched over over 50 dramas in the 8 years I've been watching them and by far A Gentleman's dignity is my favorite.

Honestly, there's so much to love about this drama. It's not overly tropey. The characters act their age most of the time. Misunderstandings aren't major plot points. It has some cheesy moments but what drama doesn't.

I equally love all the characters. They feel like real people going about their lives. They have flaws but what person doesn't.

I could go on for ages about what I love about this drama. But what it comes down to is that for it's the perfect drama. I've rewatched it several times and each time I find new things to love.

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I’ve read so much bad reviews about this drama, but I thought I’ll check it out and see for myself.

What I would have to say about this is that viewers should watch past episode 5 and decide from then on. Personally, I think the story became clearer after that episode and it could be the deciding factor to continue on or not. For some reason, it is the turn point of the whole drama because it reveals a lot of the hidden past from the main character. Another thing is that this drama could have ended at episode 14. They still had to prolong it and go through all new plot problems to fill in those last 2 episodes which is a bit of a clincher for me. I hate fillers in my drama because it’s frustrating. Nonetheless aside that, it was still an enjoyable watch.

The drama has an annoying lead female character called Chae Ro Woon acted by Park Hye Soo. I actually loved this girl ever since I’ve seen her in the drama “Age of Youth” and she sort of resembles Moon Geun Young so I have a soft spot for her, but not her character in this drama. I am irritated as to how the writers and producers let her portray her character. For the first few episodes of the drama she was TOO aggressive for my liking to the point that I’m exasperated and simply want to give up on her. However, in the later episodes her character became redeemable and more acceptable which was sort of a relief. Then there’s the shy boss Eun Hwan Ki acted by Yeon Woo Jin. I really liked the guy, even though this is the first drama I’ve seen him as a lead. He did justice to his character and definitely made people misunderstand him. Yet, he looked so cute even as he seemed so helpless in every misunderstood situation. Then there’s also the actress Han Chae Ah who’s character’s name is Chae Ji Hye and acted as Chae Ro Woon’s older sister. I know her role is quite minor in all of this but she’s the catalyst of the whole storyline so I wouldn’t want to leave her out. I like how mellow and deep her character is. She also has this sense of softness around her, not too beautiful but charming enough to be liked as she is. I like how her own story unfolded in the drama and how her part explained a lot of things despite her minimal appearance.

There are dramas which I could solely focus on the main leads and there are dramas in which I love the sub characters more than the main ones. This is one of those dramas, whereas the supporting roles are so much more enjoyable that I want to know more about their background stories. Another thing about the supporting characters, two of them came from the drama “Another Miss Oh” while there are others from the same drama who made a cameo. That tidbit threw me off in a laughing fit because for one, I love AMO and all the characters that’s why seeing them here in this drama was double the fun.

The cinematography was alright since most of the scenes were caught indoors and in small spaces but when they do some roof top shot and outdoor scenes, they could really be lovely. I truly appreciate those special angles in which the framing of the main subject in the scene becomes picture perfect. Music wise, only one song got stuck in my head and that’s the opening song for the series and nothing else. The OST wasn’t really anything special to remember by. Overall the drama was fun, I couldn’t say it was light because it did made me cry at times and it had its own heavy-heart-clenching scenes. I might re-watch this someday most likely because I missed the sub characters and I would recommend this for those who wants to watch something in between humor and drama.

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I’m not a fan of the crossover between the past to present being intertwined via incarnation but the way this drama delivered that kind of plot was really interesting that’s why I watched along. However, that interest did dwindle as I passed through episode 10 when things started becoming cheesy, but it did redeem itself at around the last two episodes where everything became clearer.

This drama has its own target audience and maybe they would be up for the popularity of the actors, it did highly market the actors for me, but aside that… something just felt missing. You know that feeling when you’re watching a drama and you can’t just get enough of it? I didn’t really feel it with this one, hence I got really disappointed because I was expecting so much from it.

Aside from my above rantings here are the following elements that are worth mentioning: actors, cinematography and OST.

Let’s start with the 3 lead roles:
Yoo Ah In as Han Se Joo, I felt like he was over the top for this particular character. He could have downgraded it a bit and at least acted as how most authors really lived. It felt like he was a top actor instead of an acclaimed writer who was supposed to be eccentric, in this drama he came across as a guy straight out of a magazine who lived in Beverly Hills. Don’t get me wrong, I love the actor himself but I’m not a fan of his Se Joo character. I do admit that he has a complex role since he had to have the weight of his past character and his present one, but still... it could have been better. However, even though that’s the case for his present character, I couldn’t say the same to his past one, Seo Hui Young because he really nailed that bad ass role. I love how charismatic he was as the writer during the 1930’s and being in a covert rebellion at the same time. He was witty and stuck with his own principles. That’s the kind of character I love rooting for, the lonely-brooding kind of guy who believes he can make a difference in the world despite sacrificing himself and everyone he cares about. Nuff said. Im Soo Jung the female lead who acted as Jeon Seol/ Ryu Su Hyeon, she was a sniper in the past with the alias “Anastasia”. I definitely like the fact that she’s a strong character, not just in the past but as well in the present. She can still pick up a gun and kick ass despite her traumatic visions. The fact that in the present, she’s also an avid fan and at least knows her limitations… its makes her more amusing. As for the last character Go Kyung Pyo as Yoo Jin Oh/Shin Yul is such a charismatic guy. He also has this cool relationship going on with Yoo Ah In’s character in which they have some sort of unspoken bond. The bromance was palpable I could certainly compare to the Goblin and Grim Reaper’s relationship the Goblin Drama. Aside that, another thing that I find interesting from his character is that during the past and the present he had that appealing aura in his stature all throughout the drama. I find him both cute and endearing at the same time. Oh, and kudos to his stylist too because he dressed up oh so damn well!

The cinematography for the drama is breathtaking. I think the fact that this was shot during the spring, it made everything look so colorful and vibrant. I just loved it. Even the indoor shoot of interior was wonderful, I love how the director was able to capture those lines of books, arches of windowsill and the nook and crannies of Han Se Joo’s house. It was really pretty to look at. Lastly there’s the OST. It was memorable and did pull my heart strings at the right moment particularly during those heart-racing-revealing-moments of the show. I like how the melody can stir emotions out of me.

Overall it was interesting enough to sit down and watch through but not really something I would go on to enjoy and binge watch with in one go. I may not re-watch this again but I would recommend it to the fans of the actors and those who like the type of story with twist and turns along the way.

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This drama reminded me so much of “Dream High 2” and all its elements: bad storyline, worst casting of idol actors, ridiculous plot problems, cheesy love triangles and cliché all over the place. It’s like watching that drama all over again only with a PLUS factor- the absurd action scenes. The only redeeming part of this drama for me was the main lead, Lee Hyun Woo because he looks so much like Park Bo Gum! I just had to watch it for him despite everything else. Heh. Other than that, there’s nothing worth mentioning in this drama.

Music isn’t memorable, cinematography is so-so, cg for the mystical stuff was obvious and annoyed the hell out of me. The story was also supposed to be filled with action scenes because it’s supposed to be about a school that trains high school kids martial arts. But that’s not the case, this drama had more talk than action sequences and if the fights do come in, they are so badly choreographed. It made me cringe while I watched. I really feel bad for the casting of this drama, there were some actors in this series whose talents were wasted. I’ve seen some of them in other dramas and they were really good, while the other young ones had budding potentials. It's really sad that they ended with a botched up drama like this but I guess I also have KBS production to blame for the subpar quality. It didn’t have the capacity to make this a top notch action packed drama that I expected.

After my ranting, I’m obviously not going to re-watch this drama for everything else I’ve mentioned, so why did I include it in my reviews? It’s so you won’t have to waste 16 hours of your life on such an unfulfilling drama. If you still do watch it, don’t blame me. I’ve done my part.

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I would say what a beautiful story. The story did move me, not too emotional or dramatic. Every casts carried a wonderful role. The storyline was amazing. I love the problem-solutions scenes.

I love all the leading roles & supporting roles. They have shown an amazing talent.

What I love the most was the relationship between the Hongs family. I would love to have that kind of relationship; how they take care of each other & being a loyal brothers-sisters. A wonderful drama thus I gave a perfect 10.

If you kinda hesitate to watch this. Please DON'T! you would love it. Highly recommended.

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This Review is spoiler free and judged by the mentioned criteria by my own opinion.

What to expect from this movie:
Two words for this movie: Random and creative. You'll spend the first 5 minutes of the movie, thinking about what you're watching and what's happening. Then you'll proceed to have the same confused feeling throughout the movie until you just learn to deal with the movies randomness - and that's hilarious.The humor in this movie is strong, which explains why the only genre mentioned above is comedy. The story is fun, entertaining and leaves you waiting for the next funny moment. However, I must say that there's a sparkle of romance and action put in the mix as well.

The story is fun. It's about two polar opposites who heals their individual pains through each other, and they do it in a creative way. In my opinion, the director, Yu Baimei, is a genius in this movie. This is going to sound funny, but he makes a good movie look amazingly bad and overwhelming good at the same time, in just the movie's lifespan of 2 hours. You'll be left pondering about how such a director can make something so awesome and something so bad at the same time - it's hard to explain, but you'll understand what I mean when you see the movie for yourself.

The acting/cast gets a 6.5 score, which is above average. The acting shares the same confusing answer as the story. It's so poorly done that it's good. It just works in this movie - and it's amazing and refreshing to see. I absolutely loved every character in this movie - even those who were supposed to be bad guys received my heartfelt warm feelings. The characters were portrayed well by the actors, which made the movie even better.

The music wasn't spectacular nor the focus of this movie. I admit, a good movie has a good soundtrack, but in this case, everything just works, even if it's bad.

Although I rarely rewatch dramas and movies, this is a movie I'm sure I'll return to at some point in time. It's simply too hilarious to keep your paws away from.

Hence, with everything taken into consideration, I give this movie an overall score of 6.0. I really don't have much negative to say about this movie. I was positively surprised by this movie. I went in, thinking something completely different than what I received - which ended up even better.

I hope I helped shed a light on whether or not to watch this movie. I highly recommend watching it as I'm certain you'll have a great time - it certainly didn't let me down. If you're still hesitant, go on reading my 6 pointers on whether you'll like it or not.

You'll like this if:
- You're okay with fast changing moods (goes from "funny --> serious --> funny" in a heartbeat)
- You want something new, unique and fresh.
- You want a good laugh.
- You like it when opposites attract.
- You like watching a story with surprisingly complex characters that go through a good-old character development.
- You fancy unique characters that stay true to themselves,

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This drama is full of serious moments which turn into comedy while the overall drama turns from comedy into something (mostly) serious. I started watching it and I completely understand why some people really really hate it. It's different from other dramas, especially in the beginning. Don't worry, later on it takes more characteristics of a normal drama.

Story:
Prepare to get your typical drama clichées and moments...BUT there will always be a turn on it that takes the comical route. Seriously, this drama doesn't take itself very seriously (in the beginning).
What makes this drama different is: in other dramas there are many storylines working to problem and one resolution in the end, in SWDBS there is more than one main story and not all of them have the purpose to end at the finale but some of them are resolved right in the middle. I loved that. It seemed more real and kept the story fresh.
Also you will get A LOT of witty conversations and funny comebacks. It's just really funny, even if you can guess (some) of the outcomes. Also the characters are really interesting and enjoyable.
I do admit, that I didn't like Bong Soon all the time. Sometimes she was really annoying but that's not for the actress but the character. And the acting behind the character was really believable.

Acting/Cast:
I really really really have to compliment this cast. The cast was chosen perfectly, the characters were written amazingly. After this drama I really know what it means to act with your eyes. Seriously, I think like 70% of the acting was facial reactions. And not just the sad or touching parts but also the comedic acting was done perfectly. The lines were delivered perfectly and I really liked it. Compliments to HyungSik also, I didn't realise he was such a great actor.

Music:
Appropriate for the drama but I wasn't really into looking up the songs, I admit.

Rewatch:
I tend to only rewatch very few dramas...SWDBS...maybe one day. I'm not against it but I'll probably only rewatch specific scenes.

Overall:
A comedic drama with some genres which you'd never expect in a comedy. Get used to being totally confused over what's happening but enjoying it wholeheartedly. Also a plus point? I think SWDBS is a great and recommendable drama but you probably won't get into a drama slump afterwards. So nice not being depressed for once after watching a good drama ^.^

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In case you're not familiar with this summer special series, this is a special that comes out every summer to help you "get the chills" in the summer heat.

The 2011 special contains 5 stories, each in varying levels of scary. In between each story Goro-san and some elementary kids and a priestess comment on the stories, talk about ghosts and what to do about them. These in between segments are like a palette cleanser to help you calm down between frights.

I'll list the story names, in English because the description is missing #5, and put the main actor's name beside so that you can match them up with the description.

The story's names, in order of appearance are:
The Last Bus (Nakayama Yuma)
Alumni Association Notice (Takei Emi)
The 13 Day Nightmare (Mukai Osamu)
Lost Child's Abyss (Ashida Mana)
The Ruby's Anger (Katahira Nagisa)

Each story is believable and the acting sells each story.
The cast was picked well.

The effects are not cheesy. The ghosts are terribly, hideously frightening, as one would expect from a Japanese horror story.

The music suits the genre perfectly. The music alone gives you the chills.

These elements all come together to give you an overall satisfying scare.

This special may or may not have rewatchability for you.
If you rather like horror, you might find yourself coming back to revisit a story (I have rewatched The Last Bus a few times... it gets me every time!). If horror is not your thing, you may never watch this again.

Either way, this is a solidly made Japanese horror story special.

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Chicago Typewriter is indeed a heart warming/wrecking story.

I really enjoyed it but I felt like the story was dragged a little too much in my opinion. Of course the whole plot and story with its twist was awesome but I think that they often put too many unneeded fillers.

The music is what made this drama especially wonderful, it added a lot to the emotions. The cast was also perfect. Go Kyung Pyo was a wise choice for this character.

I would give this drama a try and then decide wheter to watch it or not. If you are a big fan of romance then I have to disappoint you a little bit. There's no denying that this is a story about love but it's not this kind of happy-dabby dramas.

Overall, I give this 7/10 points.

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