Lee Jeong Woo – the apathetic loner, seems to have, with little to no effort, gathered the best wolves and become the leader of the pack. Together, these guys are unstoppable; whether outclassed or outnumbered, they are a force to be reckoned with. You mess with one, you must mess with them all.
Great drama, but much too short, in my opinion. There are only 12 episodes that are run about 15 minutes each, but I guarantee you will be totally absorbed the entire 15 minutes. Realistic fight scenes, no special effects, which makes it just that much more hardcore and exciting. Great character development and plenty of laughs and attitude. This drama is symbolic ‘High School Cliques’.
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I've never really understood the allure of Lee Min Ho before and admittedly, I sought great enlightenment in that regard with City Hunter, however, 20 episodes in and I'm still lost. It's safe to say that he is the namesake of Korean Entertainment Industry, internationally famous and even No#1 on the most popular list on our beloved MDL but for all that hype, there isn't much basis. To put it bluntly, he really isn't a very good actor. Sure, he's plenty cute but sadly his gorgeous looks can't save his acting from being plagued by redundancy and lack of versatility.
Lee Min Ho is like a bar of undiluted highly sweetened chocolate; eat one and you'll thoroughly enjoy the delectable sugar high but eat too many and it will turn from delicious to downright nauseous real quick. In other words, he's not the type of actor whose shows one can binge-watch because doing so will be akin to subjecting yourself to the monotony of a recycling machine.
For being an almost perfect hero with no flaws, his character "Lee Yoon Sung" is surprisingly not the sharpest knife in the cutlery and even though the writers created him to be very likeable, he is straight up annoying at times. The biggest example of that is probably when somebody close to him gets shot or severely injured in front of him. Instead of calling the ambulance like a normal person would, he absolutely has to act out the whole 15-minute-long over-emotional dramatic scene filled to the brim with hysterics where he clutches the dying person to his chest, looks deep into their eyes, cries tears of heartache and assures them that they will indeed not die, all the while sufficiently increasing their chances of said death.
I mean, how Kim Na Na survives after being shot is still an enigma to me because our dear Yoon Sung did try his level best to cause murder due to excessive blood loss because wallowing in misery and repeatedly asking your girlfriend why she'd take a bullet for him is oh so important than taking her to the nearest hospital. (Of course, he donates blood to her later and saves the day because we can't let our watchers forget who the true hero is, now can we?)
Park Min Young is a cute actress and Kim Na Na is essentially someone that I would really root for. Which is why, obviously, the creators had to abuse her character to the maximum. I mean if you're going to sell me the fact that a woman who can fight off eight thugs when her man is in trouble, walk right into the heart of danger without an ounce of fear, is an excellent shooter, a level four in Judo and just a badass in general can just as easily be kidnapped, drugged, taken hostage without so much as a mewl in defense by a single man, I'm sorry, but I'm just not going to buy that bullshit. The only thing that I despise more than spineless damsels in distress (without just cause) is a spineless damsel in distress disguised as a strong and highly intelligent heroine.
Na Na did not deserve to be used as a tool to highlight Yoon Sung's character just so he could appear to be the perfect knight in shining black mask, rather, she should've been an independent and resilient woman in her own right who could effectively save herself, but alas chivalry trumps all.
If that isn't enough, City Hunter gives a new meaning to the term "bad romance". It introduces two people who don't deserve to be together in any possible realm and force them to fall in love. As it happens with forceful collision, the result is destruction of both entities. Their affection for each other is completely unbelievable. No matter the martyr syndrome, noble causes and tortured hero bullshit- simply nobody should have to deal with Yoon Sung's horribly immature and selfish attitude. He's constantly pushing and pulling at her, switching gears and being cruel for no reason and Na Na's highly self-sacrificing, outrageously understanding, Mother Theresa level righteousness is frankly, pitiful. Add zero chemistry into the mix and you get a perfectly stiff romance that is difficult to swallow no matter how many justifications you provide to wash it down with.
To top it all off, both the actors have a very short emotional range and their crying scenes made me feel like the awkward back-patter who has to fake sympathy in order to not look like a douche-bag. Furthermore, you got to love how every single dirty politician is exposed with video recordings because it's absolutely 100% inevitable that sooner or later all corrupt criminals will announce the entirety of their sins word by word in thin air. You just have to conveniently be at the right place at the right time with a recording device at hand and you got yourself a wonderfully detailed confession. How exotic.
However, get depressed not, because the show does admittedly has its moments. The best thing about it is the fact that the few things it chooses to well develop are indeed, excellently executed. The injuries are very realistic and if our protagonists get hurt they actually suffer for a lengthy period of time instead of possessing magical healing powers. (Ahem, K2, ahem)
Kim Sang Joong is simply the star of the show. I mean, talk about charismatic villains. Not only is he extremely handsome for an ahjussi, he's also a brilliant actor and I think his cold-hearted glares ultimately made this show worth watching. Lee Jin Piyo is a ruthless mastermind, too cruel and extremely focused on his single-minded revenge. Anything that comes in his way is collateral and messing with him is synonymous for signing a death warrant. I'm not going to lie, I seriously shipped his and Yoon Sung's father-son relationship (as lacking and unhealthy as it may be) and one of the best moments of the show was their showdown in the last episode.
Prosecutor Kim with his holier than thou attitude, fierce determination and power walk (despite the fact that he in reality accomplishes nothing as a prosecutor and loses every time to the City Hunter) really grew on me over-time which was why it was really heartbreaking what the show did to him. I mean, if they were going for emotional impact they got it because honestly, I got very teary-eyed in that particular instance.
There's no denying that the story of City Hunter is very well thought out, the suspense element is nicely done and the interaction between the main characters and some of the supporting one's (Yoon Sung's mom, Bae Man Deok, Sung Chang Hoon and Jung Joon) were really touching to see. The music is good and even though City Hunter's strategies aren't exactly Sherlock-esque, I thoroughly enjoyed all of his exposés. There is a tiny idealist that resides in my heart that secretly loves the whole sentiment behind a masked hero saving the people in times of need and despite all of his flaws I was still sincerely rooting for Yoon Sung.
So, in conclusion I'm going to say that City Hunter is over-all a pleasurable drama, it makes you stick to it till the end and anticipate the incoming episodes with a fervor but when you sit back and ponder upon questions like; "What scene would I like to rewatch and put on replay?" "Which event was unforgettable?" "Which part got my heart racing?", nothing comes to mind. It is surely a good time-pass but not something that'll get you invested.
P.S: I hope all the Lee Min Hoes and City Hunter fanatics out there don't have a Cerci-mode walk of shame leading to execution-style murder in mind for me. Y'all are gorgeous human beings so please go easy on pelting the "This review ain't helpful" button.
Teehee ^~^
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literally it made me pull my hair >_<
the writer ruined the story he definitely beats the Indian writers
it raised my temper most of the time
WTF this stupid love triangle
the story is very very slow motion, boring, shallow & illogical at all the plot is very weak
every ep i watched made me decreased my rate till it reached 1 if there were less than that sure i would give it under zero
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Casting. LoCH 2017 used mostly rookies for its leading cast. Yang Xu Wen is probably the best-looking Guo Jing I've ever seen. I also think Li Yi Tong looks very much the part of Huang Rong. She also gives off a Zhou Xun feel (both of them suit this role well). The dubbing did wonders for this pair though, because if I had to listen to their original voices instead my ears will bleed. However, I think Mu Nian Ci was horribly miscast. This is my first time seeing such a... Mu Nian Ci. She doesn't have the right disposition at all.
Acting. Pretty decent acting all around, especially the veteran actors. There must also be something magical with the role of Ouyang Ke, because somehow all the actors who play the character do really really really well with it.
Production. The production team claimed that the use of rookie actors means that they are able to set aside more money for the more important things. Well, I think that's reasonable. At least there wasn't an overwhelming use of green screens *cough, cough G&I*. My problem is with the colours. Despite everything, the colours are still very "idol-ish wuxia" [2]. I much prefer the Zhang Ji Zhong adaptations where the colours were duller, more movie-like and looks like a proper drama as opposed to "idol dramas".
In all, I think the drama stands out from most of the 2017 productions. It also has an edge because of the fact that it's a recent adaptation, and after watching Yu Zheng's dramas, it's like a breath of fresh air. The drama also has a 8.0 rating on Douban, above the 2003 and 2008 versions. Not exactly deserved, but as I say, it has the advantage of being the diamond in the dirt.
-- Footnotes --
[1] I think it's based on the more recent editions of the book, which is a pity since I think in general the changes were for the worse.
[2] As years go on, Chinese period dramas are getting brighter and brighter in colours, which imo is a bad thing. It just looks... cheap.
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Personally, I think the whole message of the series is very relatable to everyone whether your dream is to be in the entertainment industry or somewhere else. This series shows us that there will always be big and small roadblocks before you reach your dreams. If you are passionate for your craft and continue to overcome the challenges that you face, you'll surely reach your dream. I think this is what some 20-somethings like me need to know. This drama shows us that we should not let our mistakes hold us back, we must keep moving forward and use those mistakes to improve ourselves along the way.
Now, this drama has a special place in my heart!
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I did like some of the actors, though.
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As with most Chinese dramas that I watch, I skim through most of it stopping on the parts I like but in the end I get really attached to the characters.
I like how the relationships evolved in this drama.
The romance can be quite ambiguous. I guess it had the feel of young people not knowing the fickleness of attraction.
Ruo Bai
Yang Yang is such a romantic actor. I first saw him in Love O2O and that show didn’t really give him the chance to act the great range of emotions that he displays here so beautifully.
Ruo Bai respect Bai Cao’s loyalty and her kindness and her calmness in the face of mean people.
Also, because he’s a kind person, he wants to look out for her.
His face is amazing. He’s the kind of actor that is hot when he’s frowning and adorable when he’s smiling. Also his voice. Anything he says is sexy. “Even if you lose, it doesn’t matter.”
I love how Yang Yang can make such a stiff and emotionless character so compelling. I like that as a teacher he views Bao Cai quite analytically but because of that he falls in love with her because he likes what he sees. He knows about her because its his job to, but he ends up liking her.
And the hair cutting incident. OMG. Ruo Bai’s reaction is priceless.
I really like that Ruo Bai isn’t good at everything. But he is good at giving inspirational speeches. A few of them are just psychological jabs, but when he gets going he is so motivational haha.
I found his relationship with Bai Cao fascinating. There are a lot of angsty heroes out there but Ruo Bai’s behaviour makes sense to me. His character is already the quiet type and the fact that all the things he would like to say to Bai Cao are always being witnessed by not one but two love rivals, there really is no room for him to speak.
But he is very zen and calm and selfless and happy to quietly love Bai Cao without her knowing. “Here in this time...it’s as if I have the whole world already.” *be still my beating heart
I like how his facial expressions started to have more warmth and he started smiling at her so sweetly.
Ruo Bai’s BFF really brings it home for the viewers.
BFF: Are you just generous or mentally unstable?
Ruo Bai: It’s fine if she’s happy.
At the end of the drama, Ruo Bai really goes for broke, it was just incredible. Yang Yang does an outstanding job.
Bai Cao
Bai Cao does a lot of crying and whinging. She’s a typical stand-up, righteous character. I like that she didn’t just take the sport at face value but really thought about what was going on in the game. I really like that she used her brains and strategy to defeat her opponents.
Everyone consistently accuses Bao Cai of everything under the sun, her motives, her thought processes, her life. The girl can’t catch a break.
I like how easily Bai Cao dismisses Ruo Bai’s hotness and kindness. She just sees him as a coach and totally takes him for granted. But later on she reveals that she knows she is like his family, so it was an interesting turn. I especially think that she is one brave chick to confess first to Ruo Bai because he wears his walls so stalwartly and comfortably I would never have dared.
My favourite bits was when she was practicing with her serious face on and her movements were so fluid and she acted so naturally and kicked so nonchalantly.
Ting Hao
This character starts out really predictably, but the actor really owns the personality so I enjoyed this dude's screen time quite a lot towards the end.
Random Notes
I like that there was a twist to the fat-shaming. And obviously fat-shaming is never good but they rounded out the chubby characters a bit better than usual.
It was also funny to see the girls fashion styles when they weren’t all geared up to fight.
Chu Yuan is so passive and dense and slow I have no words.
Guang Ya was my favourite secondary character. She’s so goth.
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Storyline is sooooo predictable. I mean, in general, story for these kind of Cinderella plot is actually kind of predictable, but this story is wayyyy beyond that (except for the last part maybe). Of course there are fluttering moments and some parts that I enjoyed it but there are really a lot of parts where logic doesn't fall in place. From the weird love rectangle (not sure if it ever existed) to the Sky House, its just not understandable for me.
Cast. Well. Naeun (Hye Ji in the drama) gotta work harder. I am not saying that the other actors/actresses are great or bad, just that Naeun lacks a bit. From jealousy to annoyed, I really don't think she portrayed the emotions well.
Jessi's voice is amazing. Loved the track by her and other OSTs are easily forgettable...
Watch it for for for.. I don't know, maybe if you like any of the actors/actresses.
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This review may contain spoilers
Chloe was a tightly written, beautifully shot, well acted short drama. Each episode is 20 minutes long, but by episode 2, I was invested in the story and the characters. It's pretty much a melodrama, but doesn't drag on or feel too angsty. It questions what love is, who deserves it, and what its practical limitations are.A short synopsis: the series follows Chloe (Nana Lee), a 30 year old starting to produce her first music/reality show. Meanwhile, a friend/musician Shi Qi (Liu Yi Hao) comes back to Taiwan after five years. Chloe goes to a concert with Shi Qi's daughter Yaya and finds musician Rex (Liu Yi Hao), and wants him for the show.
There's nothing more to add, as that would be spoilers.
I really enjoyed learning more about Shi Qi (Chris Wu) and Chloe's relationship as the story went on. There was enough tension in each episode to keep you wanting to watch the next. Since this is a drama about a music program, they of course have great music (with cameos from Liu Yi Hao's real band Morning Call !!!).
One thing I thought the show could do better was expand on Liu Yi Hao's character Rex. That being said, you can only do so much in such a short series run. Nana Lee's ending was slightly surprising, but overall it was realistic? ish. Rewatch value is low because it's a simple story. Then again, Chris Wu and Liu Yi Hao and Nana Lee are all beautiful people.....
I would recommend this drama to people who are looking for a well written, short Taiwanese drama with beautiful actors, or to people who (like me) are already fans of Chris Wu, Liu Yi Hao, or Nana Lee. If you're a fan, it's well worth a watch.
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Firstly, all the logic fell into place nicely and the flow of the drama is great, so I can follow and immerse into the story quite well. (except for that part of Sunny's restaurant business..) Secondly, the characters are planned out nicely and uniquely interesting. Lastly, the bromance, womance, romance and kinship is displayed appropriately. I am glad that there are relationships other than romance, making the story much for believable. I enjoyed the story maybe except that the drama did a lot of recaps so I have to fast forward every time there is one.
I didn't quite believe that there will be chemistry between the two leads, but they really impressed me!!! Sunny and Grim Reaper also displayed their subtle chemistry that I liked a lot. I was totally taken in by Grim Reaper!!! All other characters really performed well and deserves a 10/10 (INCLUDING THOSE NOT-SO-CAMEO CAMEOS)
All the OSTs was great, just that the (airy) track by Soyou wasn't quite enjoyable for me. Like you are trying to immerse in the emotions then the breathy sounds come in (maybe its just me)
All in all, just watch it!!!
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& although i saw it a little bit slow motion but definitely was not boring ^_^
but i was pissed off from 3 points
1st :
there was no chemistry at all literally between (Nam Gung + Wang Ji) so the relation between them
was so lukewarm
2nd :
Nam Gung was really emotionless & tepid as if it was the first time for him acting or someone forced him to participate in this drama
3rd :
there were lots of kisses' scenes at the beginning i saw it really was not necessary or even add anything to the story except filling it
in the contrary sometimes i thought it spoils the drama from being smooth & superfine
although it's a rom drama but really they did not place these scenes in the right way.
except these points i do really enjoy this drama alot
& Sung joon as usual was lovely , kind & brilliant my sweet heart ( junior oppa) ^_^
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I started this drama because I was bored and needed a break from watching Korean dramas. I tend to watch the typical romance Taiwanese dramas because I love the comedy, romance and acting in Taiwanese dramas. Series like It Started with a Kiss, My Lucky Star, Just You, Refresh Man, When I see you Again, Behind Your Smile & many more have a special place in my heart because of the chemistry between the leading characters, and a few cute side stories from the second leads that accompany the series. This drama falls in that category. It has everything a Taiwanese drama typically has - the romance, the comedy, the cute scenes, the supportive/ opposing families, the second leads that do everything they can to get the lead's love etc, etc; so I thoroughly enjoyed this drama! I didn't expect to like it at all because the plot just didn't click with me, but I was wrong! I can see now why this drama has it's high ratings in Taiwan!
I loved the chemistry between the lead characters - you can see it from the get-go, and Ze Ming is hotness/cuteness all in the one package. The story does drag a little in the middle, but not too much that it ruins the drama. I find that these days Taiwanese dramas are getting better and better at managing the dreaded random stuff that happens in the middle mark in dramas. I liked the OST - esp. I will miss you by Bii. Mi Mi's family is so likeable and seriously makes this drama a little more heartwarming.
Overall, I highly recommend this drama for those who enjoy the typical romance T-Dramas- you can't miss this one! P.S I loved the Bromance reference in this drama LOL!
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