basically: good drama, but definitely skipped a lot of scenes and sometimes complete episodes
pros: KIMI, fantastic second male lead (su song), the fashion and car racing twists in the story, and funny best friend/boss of kimi, gao yong i think
cons: li cuicui, the brother and his "wife", the female lead in the second half
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Do you know, I ask, what one of the albeit many reasons I prefer watching Korean Dramas as opposed to Western TV shows is?
It's this little wonderful thing called Closure. More on that later as I dive into the review:
Story (6.0):
Wow.
Okay, I've admitted this before, in that I don't like time travel very much, especially in Western repertoire, but I've seen a few time travel Korean Dramas that I enjoy very much.
One of them I've seen a few times just because it's so enjoyable (plus it's very short) is Splash Splash Love. A woman/girl is upset with the way things are going in her life and suddenly finds herself in a different time period...
My FAVORITE aspect of this sort of thing is seeing how the societies of the respective times clash and how the main character or time-traveling character has trouble fitting in.
And I'll applaud Moon Lovers for really making me enjoy this aspect of the story line. In fact, this is where most of my story rating is coming from... Honest mistakes, sassy unacceptable comebacks, those are the best, and the first couple episodes had enough of this to sate my thirst very pleasantly.
So, yeah, I highly recommend watching the first two episodes; then maybe watch up to the infamous scene in the rain with the cloak tent. You'll know when you get there. If you're ambitious, heck, you may even watch until the very end; and if you do, as I did, you may then go watch Splash Splash Love to see how a story like this could have had a much better ending.
Agh, maybe Splash has an over-optimistic ending for something like this, but even so, with our hearts bleeding and panting on the floor, you can't just, just leave us like that... Seriously, you try to calm us with a flashback? The parts leading up to the ending were torturous enough for me, and then, okay, it's over.
Alright, for those who are thinking this, no, I'm not new to historical dramas and their usual endings. Historical Korean Dramas are one of my favorites, even if I've only ever (currently) watched one past 35 episodes. But I've also seen this sort of ending done much better.
It's not equivalent, but the ending of Empress Ki had me crying but wholly appeased through good use of final moments and flashbacks.
But, whaaat? Moon Lovers? Twisting and turning can be cool and we all knew it was coming... But can't you give us some better closure?
Heal my broken, scarlet heart!
I couldn't deal and had to watch the first 2 episodes again and then watch Splash Splash Love to remind myself that the ending could have been this other way but they just didn't show us so it's all good.
Acting/Cast (9.5):
Aaaah, I love the cast; I'll be honest with you and tell you I dropped this drama at about the 1/2-3/4 mark at one point, but I came back just to see more of IU and the princes. I've got a masculine perspective on this, so I'm more into the IU aspect, but the princes (and I can't help but love Ji Soo from his other works) are more than enough for any fan girls.
And they aren't just eye candy, there is actually good acting in this. I especially applaud IU in her performance as I'm more used to hearing her sing.
Music (9.0):
I honestly loved the music from the very beginning and have listened to it separately from the drama; however, there are portions of it which I didn't think fit this kind of drama very well... But it's all still good.
Rewatch Value (6.0):
Same rating as the story. I've rewatched the first couple of episodes, but I don't think I would ever want to watch any of this drama past the half way mark ever again. Sorry.
Overall (7.0):
I loved the beginning, I hated the ending, had mixed feelings on the middle. Based on my feelings after finishing the drama, I would actually have rated this lower, but I had to look back at all the moments I actually really enjoyed and am glad I saw them, so here's a higher score for you.
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Admittedly, I was a bit hesitant to watch it since it was so old. But I"m glad I did, and you should too if you enjoy. Good melodrama.
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ACTING/CAST: The boys did well together and I liked the mom.
MUSIC: "Jigsaw Heart" by Boy Sompob is such a beautiful song; my new favorite Thai song.
REWATCH VALUE: I've seen it many times.
OVERALL: An almost perfect short BL movie.
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Then there is the dark serial killer storyline that is not that different in tone than an episode of SVU. It adds some drama and danger to the main romantic storyline. There is the fun superhero action story aspect where you get to see a girl getting the best of everyone and being the main hero instead of the guys. There is the slapstick gangster storyline which was funny sometimes, but sometimes not so much.
It can be a jarring mashup, but overall it is a fun show if you don't take it too seriously. If you have a low tolerance for a slightly overactive plot, slapstick humor or dark crime you might not like it. But I loved it and looked forward to each episode. It's the funnest most romantic show I've seen in awhile.
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It feels like the story goes by too fast, like, nothing get explained/ showed as much as they did in the anime. People who've watched the anime will know what the story is and miss certain parts in it. For people who never watched the anime it may be a lot more enjoyable.
As I said they didn't include lots of necessary scenes;
-Kousei's whole backstory with more throwbacks of what his mom did to him and made him the "man" he is today.
-The black cat that came by in the anime which is a symbol for good luck.
-Kousei meeting Kaori's parents which have a bakery and being all enthousiastic about Kousei being there.
-Tsubaki dating another guy.
-The backstory of Tsubaki and Kousei.
-Kousei and Kaori really getting close to each other.
The music is the best part of this whole movie. It's all about the music. It may be Classical, but it's certainly beautiful and fits the whole theme of the movie. It gives a great dramatic feeling touching scenes and certainly jerks the tears from your eyes.
Anyways I give this movie a total of a 6,5 due the fact that I missed lots of scenes I looked forward to to see.
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The atmosphere, the characters, the acting EVERYTHING was incredible. Scenes that could have very easily crossed the line to melodrama surprisingly didn't and the directing was very well done. Not once did I feel like a scene was unnecessary or a waste of time.
The leads were literally perfect- they looked great together AND had amazing chemistry. From what I've noticed, older Japanese dramas are much better at romance than the newer ones, with more realistic characters and no flowery filters.
Overall- This is not a rom-com, but much more of a romance drama. Hockey is a huge part of the show, but it isn't necessary for you to know anything about hockey (case in point, me) to really enjoy the show. Annoying side characters (or should I say, character) are present though, but everyone else is wonderful, so don't let it deter you.
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Story: (9/10) This dorama is about family, marriage, friendship, comradeship. It is like every "Romance" J-dorama I see it addresses the reluctance of the MC to get married, and people around them pressure them to get married. I know that Japan has a low rate of marriage/low-birth, but sometimes this kind of stories can get a little preachy. Anyway, like in "Kekkon Dekinai Otoko", this is the story of a mature guy, Daisuke, who is pleased to live alone and doesn't want to get married at all. He is completely happy living in his own "castle" (as he likes to call his apartment, who looks gorgeous, btw) and drink his beer. Alone. That changes once his father comes with Kota, Daisuke's new younger brother, and imposes his presence in his "castle". Also, around the same time, Daisuke befriends his neighbor, Hanako.
Daisuke is not as anti-social nor awkward as Kuwano, but he is grumpy. It is not hard to sympathize with him. I would also be grumpy if my precious space was invaded by people. But those people are all kind, with a good heart, although there are also some that can be a bit bothersome (like all-happy-girl Tanaka-san).
Hanako deals with her own problems, her mother also comes and invades her personal space. And her ex-husband wants to get back together. Like many other J-dramas (a thing I absolutely love) is that the ex-husband is a good man, not evil nor bothersome. Same with Daisuke's ex-girlfriend.
All characters that become a friend sort of, thanks to Daisuke's dad, was likeable. Specially Sasaki-san (I adore this chubby actor, he is so funny!). This dorama is mostly about that, how Daisuke's dad comes back to his son's life and changes everyone that is around Daisuke.
For people looking for a romance: I wouldn't call this a romance, I prefer to call it a deep bond, a true friendship, a camaraderie.
Cast: (8/10) Ueno Juri was excellent, I was moved by her tears. Not a moment I thought "oh, this is Nodame". Too bad her hair was so awful, but she is so pretty I could ignore it sometimes. Same with Shingo. I didn't see Shingo, but Daisuke. They were both excellent. And of course, Sasaki-san was also terrific. Many people praise Daisuke's dad but I am not a fan of this actor. I think he has many mannerisms that annoyed me. He is always saying: "ano sa", "ano ne". Mizuhara Kiko was terrible as Tanaka'san, she pouts so much it is annoying. Kota, the younger brother, was pitiful, but I dislike when pitiful characters don't talk and go there with their head down. On the good side, I think that he looked like a Japanese Harry Potter. And also a bit like Yuriko Yoshitaka.
We have 4 mini-reunions in this show: Ouran High School Host Club (Haruhi and Honeysempai, and coincidence! he was called "Haru"); Tiger and Dragon (Shishou and Jumptei Jump); Soredemo, Ikite Yuku (mother of the killer, brother of the killed one), and Shingo and Arisa.
{Edit: there is a guy who played the personal trainer of Hanako at the gym. For days I was "who was that guy?". He isn't in any of the cast lists. Then I remembered. He was one of the butlers of Mei-chan no Shitsuji.}
Music: (9/10) I love the music "Unpredictable Story", bye Ellie. There are 2 versions, one slow and one faster. I think I prefer the slow one but even so,both are beautiful. Currently in my playlist.
Rewatch value: (9/10) this is one of those dramas that can be recommended to anyone. I don't think there would be a person, male or female, who wouldn't like this. It is easy to watch, it is charming, it is not slow, it is real.
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I learned a couple of things about depression, so this movie is not only heart-warming but also informative. And touching, in a couple of scenes. The filmography was great, their little home was cozy and outside, with the Sakura trees, was so nice.
Masato Sakai has such a dorky face, so this suit him perfectly. The movie does not have a beginning nor an ending, which is something that I have found mostly in J-doramas and movies. Which I like, because not everything has to have a beginning and/or an end. Also, although it is a 2-hour movie long, it is never dragging nor slow.
Japan is one of the country with the highest amount of suicides. I've read that it is mostly because of work, which is the main reason why Mikio is depressed. The routine, his work-environment, having to take the train everyday, all squeeze like sardines are enough motives. At least he has his pretty, supportive wife, who is there for him "in health and sickness".
I wonder if this was based on real life...
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Story: 10/10
This is a very realistic manga/live action, about obstetricians and midwives and mothers and new-born babies. About the miracle of life and the sadness of death and being an orphan. It is an episodic drama, where we meet mothers-to-be in every episode. Some of them have their HEA with their babies, some of them doesn't, which was very sad. So sad to make the audience cry. All episodes were excellent, but there is one that was special, and that is Episode 5. I cried like a baby. Not only it is about a teenager mom who decides to give her baby in adoption, but it is also about Kounodori-sensei and his story, how he was separated from his first mama in the orphanage. My, the little boy being taken away while shouting his mama's name... just remembering about it makes me cry. Kounodori-sensei tells to a mother in an episode that life as an orphan has it ups and downs, and that episode made me see the downs... poor boys, all alone in the world, having a caretaker for all of them (when all they need is the love of a mother) and then being separated to go to another orphanage again. At least Dr. Kounodori did have 2 wonderful mamas, but still, his past was truly moving. And then, the teenager girl was such a good actress! It was like she was truly having a birth, and it was like she was truly giving up her baby. It was very sad, but at the same time, realistic (in the manga, her story has a HEA)
And the last case, with the little boy Naoto-kun having an extra chromosome (it was Trisomy 16 maybe?). OMG, I loved that little guy, I wanted to go in there and hug him. Poor baby, and his parents did not want him at first. It was sad seeing him, because I am sure in real life the little baby really had this syndrome. One of the other positive things about this drama is that they truly have premature babies, babies with problems, newborn babies, so it made everything more real.
Acting/Cast: 10/10
This is one of the few dramas that I watch for the story instead of the cast. I only knew a couple of the actors. Like Ayano Go, who I dislike. Or used to, because after this dorama, I can't see him as a douche anymore. Because he has the face of a criminal (sorry!) but in this dorama, he was always so calm, and nice, and such a good doctor, and no overacting at all, I ended up liking him. I thought at first that anyone could have played the doctor, why it had to be him? But he was so good I can't complain anymore. His friends, Dr. Shinomiya (Hoshino Gen) who was a blank-face guy at first, but who I liked so much by the end (his story was also kind of pathetic, and very sad) and Yoshida Yo, who looked so much like manga-Komatsu (except that the actress was taller). The 2 young actors, Matsuoka Mayu and Sakaguchi Kentaro, were adorable, although comparing to the other actors, they did overreact a couple of times. But all in all, I loved the cast, and also the guest stars. I mean, all the mothers when they cried looked so real! They were all marvelous, although the teenager mother could be my favorite. And the mother whose baby died because of the no-brain. Her case was also so sad :(
Oguri Shun, who is everywhere, has a role for about half of the drama. His daughter has some scenes in the last episode, and she is so cute! She looks so much like her parents. First it was "oh, the image of Oguri Shun!", but then, "oh, she looks so much like her mother!".
Music: 9/10
The music was nice and sweet, and the ending song was good, but it did not leave a big impact on me, as the musics in dorama I really love do. Some of the music the doctor plays at the piano were good and tender.
Rewatch value: 10/10
I would totally rewatch this! Nice story (never slow, never overdramatic, never "preachy" as some people like to say over doramas), nice cast (main and supportive), what is not to love? I would recommend this to anyone really, even to people who don't watch J-dorama. I wish I could find other one like this: human stories, real stories, with likeable characters and great acting.
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The story is a very engaging one: the world of mangas and mangaka. To be more precise, the world of editors. They also have to struggle, not only the mangaka do. They need to take care of the mangaka, give them advice, move here to there. There are also moments of tears and frustration. Editors need to walk along the mangakas, they need to be there for them all the time and built a trust, which is fundamental.
Since I am a big fan of BAKUMAN, it was impossible not to link them both. One is from the Mangaka's POV, the other one is from the Editorial's POV. I looked everywhere to read the manga Juhan Shuttai, but unfortunately is not translated :( It really is a heart-warming story, and the art is so cute, especially chibi Kokoro, who looks a lot like dear Sawako from "Kimi ni Todoke".
The cast was marvelous. I was familiar with most of the secondary characters only; more specifically, the mangakas (Mikurayama-sensei, Takahata-sensei...). And of course, Namase Katsuhisa-san. But this is the first time I see Kuroki Haru (Kokoro) and although I've seen some photos of him, this is my first time watching Odagiri Joe (Iokibe-san). I am not sure which one of these 2 were my favorites! Kokoro was the typical bright, positive girl, but she was far from annoying and stupid. Her motto was "Gambaremassu" and she motivated a couple of characters, like emo mangaka-to-be Nakata-kun, and poor, nice Koizumi-kun, whose professional life was a bit depressing at first, but once he was motivated, everything changes for him for better. It was really touching. Impossible not to like a girl with that kind of enthusiasm! Also my first time seeing Sakaguchi Kentaro, who is a real sweetheart! His smile is so adorable, and he acts really well! Can't believe his filmography is so short; he acts like a pro and ten million times than veterans!
**sighs** Odagiri Joe... I've read some lists before were he was mentioned, like "more kissable lips" or whatever, but have never paid him any attention. My, I was so impressed with this guy. Let's talk first about his role. Iokibe-san is one of the coolest guy I've seen in a dorama. Super nice, real intelligent, a perfect mentor, a humble editor, a nice guy, a kind co-worker, a capable editor. Only once he shouts in the whole dorama, otherwise, he speaks with a calm, soothing voice. No wonder Kokoro admired him so much! If I were her, I would have probably fallen in love with him. Because not only he was the nicest guy and mentor, he also looks real good! Glasses and man-bun, perfect combination! With some facial hair, the cherry on top. Sure, some of his shirts were, errr, colorful, but he looked like a model! I loved him and I am glad Episode 9 was more or less about him.
Clothes were colorful, specially in Kokoro's case. Some of her skirts were a bit old-fashioned, but overall her clothes matched her character: young, happy and bright. Editor Mibu was always wearing T-shirts with food drawings on them (I love this actor, he is so funny!), Yasui-san was always wearing stripped sweaters, Takahata-san always in Adidas outfits, Nakata-san always in dark sweatsuits and Koizumi was always in suit. I love that even the clothes were important to the story, every detail meant something!
The sountrack was lovely, and the ending song was ok. But my favorite thing is that it is an inspirational dorama. If you love something, you give it all, like Kokoro did, and for that, she was rewarded at the end. I laughed many times, but I also cried a couple of times. There wasn't a single episode that was boring or dragging, I loved it from Ep. 1 to 10, and I wish it was longer! Nevertheless, it has a perfect ending, because it wasn't really an ending.. more like a beginning :D
I recommend this dorama a hundred times Top quality, top cast, excellent story, I loved it!
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Recommended to anyone. Amazing love story but luckily it's not a main point of the series so it's not like "EVERYONE LOOK, THEY ARE GONNA DATE! YEA LOVE LOVE LOVE" bot it's more like plotted in between the main theme like "Look, there is a drama, it happens in hospital, there is a little love story but no worries"
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I was tearing up a little at the end.
Heart warming and amazing drama, recommend to watch :)
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I loved the cast. They were great. Each and every one of them played their characters as perfect and real as they could. Hyung Bin & Ha ji won both are one of the most talented actors around. And they played there roles perfectly.
Specially in the body switching parts. Hyung Bin just stole the spot light for me at that moment. He was so funny. Specially his expressions. They were gold.
This is the only drama, I've so far with the most amazing OST. Each and every song had a reason. They were somehow part of the story. And they were so beautiful, that you just have to love it.
I loved the story. Well some of it. The only thing I didn't like was the switching. It wasn't necessary. It would had been an amazing drama even without. The switching - which most people were expecting, and it was funny - had little to none with story. In my eyes, it didn't do anything with the characters development.
Even saying that I loved the scenes. The actors were the reason.
And then the ending.
Overall it was an amazing drama. A great watch. It's full of fun stuff and moments. That's the reason it gets an overall 10 in my review and a place in my favorite drama list.
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