Reviews

Ikuta Toma and Oguri Shun play childhood friends set on avenging the death of their beloved teacher. To this end, Ikuta becomes a detective while Oguri has risen through the ranks of organized crime. This drama was adapted from a dark, seinen manga. In its 10 episodes, it can not possibly grasp the complexity in the original work, I feel like this drama does a great job realizing the feel and tone of the original work. It is great to see Oguri Shun and Ikuta Toma working together again. I really enjoyed having the opportunity to see Ikuta in a more serious role. I would advise that this drama is fairly dark and has a very somber tone. I wouldn't suggest it for anyone looking for a happy ending. Ouroboros' OST is so good, featuring songs such as "No One" and Arashi's "Sakura." You should definitely give it a try!

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I've never would have dreamed that I would fall in love with this drama like I did. I'm normally not a huge fan of historical dramas. I started watching this drama for Oguri Shun, Shibasaki Kou and Mukai Osamu. This drama is so balanced between the historical references, the modern comedic references and the hip hop mixed music produced by Taku Takahashi. The pacing keeps it moving all though the drama. The characters are likable and relatable with touching performances. You should watch this drama if you like historical dramas, any of the actors in the main cast, action and/or human dramas.

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An addictive family melodrama teeming with villains, family secrets, greed, jealousy, evil stepmother and siblings, kidnapping, parents and children torn away from each other, coincidences galore, unrequited love, and a brother against brother battle over birthrights. It pits good against evil. The bad characters are so, so bad that you really can't take it too seriously. And they get away with so much for so long. I don't think I have ever hated any drama villains as much as I do the villains in King Baker Kim Tak Goo. The good characters represent the hope that goodness and sincerity and the underdog can prevail in the face of overwhelming adversity. But with all this drama, my favorite part of the story is Tak Goo striving to learn the art of baking and the master's baking competition.

I had a hard time watching the first part of the drama which sets up the characters and the villains because I can't stand watching bad things happen to little kids. And the villains do so many despicable things that I had an upset feeling in my stomach watching it. I almost dropped it. But after getting through the beginning, I enjoyed the middle and end of the drama. Though Kim Tak Gu is so good that he's very unrealistic, I have a soft spot for him because I like to believe that the qualities of hopefulness and goodness can actually be such a strength in life.

Though much of this is a stereotypical melodrama / soap opera with the archetypal good and bad characters and over-the-top plot, the baking story element gives it something different and refreshing. And without giving away the story, there are certain elements that didn't turn out in the stereotypical way as well -which I appreciated. Enjoyed this overall.

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If you're not familiar with Xiao Hong's life story, and her writings (The Feild of Life and Death, or Death of Mistress Wang) this story is going to go over you head. This is a film where you should have some background knowledge before watching, although if you give it a shot without it's a whirlwind of a drama once you get past the pacing.

The story is the true life story of Xiao Hong the writer, and for as unbelievable as the her life seems; it's 100% true. The chronological order is accurate, as well as names and locations for where critical moments take place. While the pacing is slow, it helps respect the duration of Xiao Hong's life, which was a very brief 35 years of life.

Acting, was honestly a mixed bag in my opinion. A lot of the scenes were well done, if not a little too bland where it seemed where I looking at people on the street verses actors or actresses. The intimacy scenes, sexual and non-sexual are very dramatically rendered, some of them too much so. If you have historical background in China, you'll understand why. Of course, there were a few scenes where I did tear up. More towards the end after you start to care for the characters, but touching where I did cry despite not being a crier.

The music was unnoticeable, at least to me. And I doubt I'll be rewatching this since I had to watch it for class and a bit longer then my current tastes.

If you're a fan of Xiao Hong, you should give this movie a shot. Even if you're not a fan of her, this movie while slow is worth the build up.

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first of all this drama was nice till ep.13
the story was about a man who had a (Dissociative identity disorder) a critical case and his shrink couldn't heal him for years

then suddenly the writer decided to make a circus girl who knew nothing about Psychiatry or even a critical case like (Dissociative identity disorder) to manage with this serious case as if she was a shrink
and above all of that she treated him as if he was two persons not a sick one
she teased me soooooo

i felt that the story underestimated my mind really
i hated it
my opinion it 's really really overrated
i liked sung joon role so much he is a brilliant actor

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Both Oguri Shun and Ishihara Satomi do an amazing job in Rich Man, Poor Woman. Though this drama does follow the arrogant, prodigy male protagonist dramatically changed by a driven but down to earth female lead, I feel like the business setting and the lead actors really bring something new to this fairly popular framework. I started watching this drama for Oguri Shun but continued to watch it for Ishihara Satomi. Her character is so relatable and inspiring. As a side, Iura Arata's character a very interesting dynamic to the drama. I watched this drama after my college graduation. This drama should be very relatable to students approaching graduations and/or those still job hunting. Miwa ended up doing the theme songs for this drama. Both "Hikari e" and "Napa" are very good. "Hikari e" seemed extremely popular in 2012. I strongly recommend this drama if you are looking for something uplifting and encouraging.

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In retrospect, if I was to analyze every single technical detail about Mars and view it as a logical cynic would, I'm sure I wouldn't give it such a high rating. But as it happens, more often than not, the matters of heart take precedence over those of the mind. Even though it had its flaws, how could I possibly give this brilliant story which had numerous powerful moments, a lesser rating? I simply can't.

Mars isn't made to impress the audience with the sparkle of a big production, instead It is made to move people. It's low budget, old and simple. Which is what makes it all the more impactful. It shines light on the ugly side of humankind. There are many things that people try to hide under rugs and make vanish out of sight but Mars drags them all out and exposes them for all to see. It highlights the crazy in everyone. But most importantly, it's an empowering story of finding the light, acceptance and hope. It assures that even if your beginning is tragic, your ending doesn't have to be. Mars doesn't romanticize mental illness and abuse, rather it delivers an honest portrayal of these issues and offers no excuses. At surface it seems like just another cliche good girl/bad boy story but when you dig a little you discover that there are layers upon layers of meaningful themes disguised under.

Chen Ling was a beautiful man. And I'm not talking about his gorgeous hair, heavenly dimples and angelic face, rather, I'm talking about his beautiful personality. He was such a tortured soul who was so broken and so lost and yet, when he loved he loved deeply. He was loyal, kind, affectionate and brave. There were so many shades and so much color to his character. He laughed so freely; with a childlike glee and always joked around, painting a picture of how he was just a reckless slacker. But at the same time, when he was serious, his cruel eyes and ruthless expression sent chills up my arms. His tears were always so touching and when he was heart broken it showed on his face. His "bitch please" face made me laugh countless of times. And there was that bitter chuckle when he realized that the world had gone and fucked him over once again.

There was much darkness in him, yet, he managed to radiate innocence. He was so charismatic and magnetic that you couldn't help but be drawn to him. Nowadays, bad boys are extremely over-hyped in stories, there is usually more talk than walk about how the protagonist is so badass, but Chen Ling was the real deal. He was bad to the bone with a side of crazy. He could be scary, beyond morals and a little heartless but beneath it all, there was a heart made of platinum that was purely good. I think Vic Chou did the acting of the century in this drama. He mastered every emotion and displayed it perfectly. Which is why, I find it so absurd that his role in Mars isn't as well-known as it should've been.

Then comes Qui-Lou. Anybody who knows me, knows that I can't tolerate bumbling and weak heroines which is why in the beginning Qui-Lou's easy tears and meek voice really grated on my nerves. However, as the drama progressed I started to see her for who she really was; a sophisticated, mature and intelligent woman. She had gone through so much and yet, she found the courage to face it. She had so much empathy and she was tough in her own way. A lot of people were saying that her transition from a quiet presence to a talkative person was very brutal, but I couldn't disagree more, for she retained her shyness till the end and there weren't any drastic changes at all, instead, you gradually saw her become more brave and able to voice her opinion. It was an amazing message on how you can make new beautiful memories to drown the horrible ones and anyone who thinks otherwise, needs to frankly eat shit.

At the start, I thought Barbie wasn't really acting at all because I barely saw her expression change except for the redundant quivering of lips when Qui-Lou was seen breaking down for the millionth of time but after a while, I saw the subtle changes in her demeanor and realized what a phenomenal actor Barbie really was. She was completely in sync with the character and she changed and became stronger as Qui-Lou's wounds healed. It showed that she really did give it all for this role. There were so many powerful scenes that made your heart hurt and a lesser actress would have failed to deliver the emotion.

The relationship dynamic between the two protagonists was outstanding. Going into the series I was a little miffed by what seemed like insta-love on their part but I was proved wrong as I watched more and more. They were two complex people who were attracted towards each other for their own different reasons, they evolved together and licked at each others wounds. They were willing to sacrifice so much for the other and their love was completely unconditional. Even though together they were fearless, what I found so refreshing was that their world didn't revolve solely around each other. They were independent people with their own individual standing who grew stronger in each other's company.

What I also loved about this drama was that besides the main characters, the supporting roles were great too. I know that the actress who plays Qing-Mei is very successful but unfortunately for some reason before this, she always rubbed me the wrong way, due to which I had dropped a lot of dramas she had starred in, however I thought she played her part excellently here. She's so savage, yet sweet and warm. Da-ye is also a complete cutie and I felt happy whenever he came onscreen.
Other characters left noticeable impressions on me too. Tong Dao was fascinating. Qui-Lou's mother was an unredeemable bitch and the stepfather was too pathetic to put in words.

I loved how the characters always spoke in such light and sombre tones which made the gravity of the serial more prominent. And the music was added on the perfect moments to make everything more influential. The OST ( Ling-Zero) is one of the best soundtracks ever made. It's hauntingly deep and even though I didn't understand a single lyric, the tune and the singer's melancholic voice made me feel serene.

Mars deals with serious issues like rape, suicide and mental health and it gives a raw exposure to all that isn't pretty. It isn't a drama that's going to make you cry or heave with emotion but it's definitely something that will move you to a certain extent. Despite the horrible quality and the less than mediocre direction, you'd still be compelled to watch episode after episode.

I am not gonna say that this is something you can watch again and again because its beauty is in watching it only once and enjoying it to the max but I will say, that it is one of those horribly under-rated dramas that are a must if you want to truly experience the whole Asian Drama scene.

P.S: People who've read the manga say that they didn't like the show or that they decided not to watch it in the first place. However, maybe it is just one of those "you like whatever you watch first" sort of situations but I started reading the manga alongside the show, and believe you me, it's absolute trash. Kira and Rei are wholly one-dimensional characters and the parts that were so heart-touching in the drama came out extremely bland in the manga. So, don't feel wary of the drama, if you didn't like the manga. 'Cause I can vow it's better and more well-developed.

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Be warned: I watched the kdrama before I watched this. I really really really loved the kdrama, and the whole reason why I watched this movie was to compare it to the kdrama. Honestly, the movie fell short.

Pros:
The bully: lol forgot his name, but I thought he was the best actor, and I liked how it portrayed his bullying. The movie didn't water down his bullying at all. I liked how the movie showed that yes, he was human and had his own personal struggles, but bullying is bullying regardless. I actually felt bad and sympathized with Juri, which is something the kdrama could never make me do. It really showed how cruel he can be, but at the same time didn't let us lose hope in him.

Kashiwagi: for as little screen time he has, he really affects the characters and all they do. Ryoko's main reason for holding the trial is to show to herself that Kashiwagi was wrong, she's not all talk and no action. She will act.

Matsuko/the rabbit boy: lol I forgot his name (these japanese names are killing me). I just thought they were both so cute and innocent. They both lighten up the show, and remind us that there's still purity and goodness in the world.

Cons:

Ryoko: ok this really bothered me. Her whole ordeal is that the adults are inadequately protecting them. This is why she's holding the trial. And then, after telling the adults that clearly the kids need to protect themselves because they're not doing their jobs, she has the gall to ask the adults for the evidence that they collected. Like girl, you just told them that they're incompetent, but now you want THEIR evidence to use in YOUR trial. Seo yeon was gullible at times, but at least she collected her evidence and went through what she said. Kashiwagi is right, this girl is all talk and no action. She'll talk about a trial, and even put up a trial, but she'll do none of the work to go with it. No she'll take the incompetent adults work instead. Now, this may be proven wrong in the second movie, but right now she's just coming off as bratty.

joon yeong vs. rabbit boy: ok, this is something that will only bother you if you've seen the kdrama, but honestly, i like joon yeong's character a lot more. His character really stuck with me after the kdrama. Rabbit boy is cute and funny, but that's it so far. There's no depth, and it honestly saddens me that joon yeong's whole story was an add on (so far, again this could be proven wrong in the second movie).

Suspense: maybe because I've seen the kdrama, but I don't find this supsensful at all. But I think that's just the writing. Because I'm rewatching god's gift for like the 4th time, but I still feel the suspense. I'm just not feeling it in this drama.

Music: There's no music!! I can hear the silence, and it's really annoying. This is the second asian movie I've seen, and it's like they have a thing against music. I mean really, I feel like the suspense thing could be fixed if they just added some suspenseful music.

Overall, I like the kdrama way better. I feel like it has more depth and emotion so far. Would I reccomend this? If you have nothing to do, sure go watch it. But if you're busy I wouldn't waste your time.

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To me, Jealousy Incarnate is like a big bowl of sundae. It gets messy, yet it's so good. Jealousy Incarnate was frustrating to me because of the love triangle. Enough said. However, what I love about the storyline is on how it addresses the social issue of cancer. This drama does not portray journalism as somewhat boring like Pinnochio did. Although 2/3 of the drama was frustrating the ending and the sbc commercial pretty much compensated for almost everything.

THE ACTING AND CAST IS PERFECT. I LOVE THE FEMALE AND MALE LEAD. PERFECT CHEMISTRY. AWESOME ACTING.

Music is not memorable at all.

I wouldn't rewatch it just because, love triangle frustration syndrome.

Overall, watching this drama was a pretty good experience. It has some funny moments. Quite a few of frustrating and swooning moments. A lot of tear jerking laughing moments. Pretty good.

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