But clearly I need to have more faith in the people who brought us the gem that is Nirvana In Fire, because Ode to Joy totally blew my mind. Although I grew up here in the States, I have cousins and a lot of acquaintances in China who are in their mid 20s to early 30s, and I know just how hard it is as a young adult in modern China, especially in a big city like Shanghai. The salary that most people get - even in smaller cities - is nowhere proportional to the cost of living (especially for housing), so if you don't have family who can give you that extra allowance every month, it's basically next to impossible to make it in the big city. Forget about the hu kou issue for a second - having a car and a house is now considered the minimum standard in a partner these days, and since young adults usually don't have the money to buy those themselves, it's on the parents to provide. And if you happen to be from the country, or if you have a family who is dependent on you as the bread winner...
Ode to Joy did such an awesome job in taking a group of five unique characters and plopping them in the middle of Shanghai. They captured the struggles and obstacles of the women perfectly (the subtle social commentary was absolutely amazing and so well done in a country where dramas usually tend to act as propaganda for the government). Also - can we get a shout of joy for a great, women-centric drama? If I had one major criticism of this production team, it would be that they've done a pretty lousy job of developing good female characters (the NiF girls were strong and powerful, but way underutilized), but they've corrected that in such a major way with Ode to Joy.
The five women aren't perfect at all - and honestly, there is no miracle where at the end of the drama they've done a complete 180 - they are actually still very much the same women they were at the beginning, but they've learned a lot of hard lessons along the way, and have been influenced greatly by each other. It's a beautiful thing to watch - very rarely do you get such good character development in any drama, and across the board at that! The characters always stay true to themselves - there is nothing contrived - it all feels so organic, both in how their own characters develop, and how their friendship evolves.
Liu Tao's character was probably the hardest to relate to - a brilliant and successful but aloof businesswoman with an unknown backstory - but kudos to Liu Tao's natural warmth and exuberance that shone through to give her character some needed depth. I saw a lot of people complain about Wang Zi Wen's rich girl character but it was her that made this story so refreshing for me - a fu er dai with street smarts is such a joy to watch, especially since she still worked so hard to achieve what she wanted. She used people, sure, but she was usually transparent with her machinations, and she also had a heart of gold. And I thought Wang Zi Wen was great in her portrayal.
Yang Zi was adorable as the happy-go-lucky and simple Ying Ying, and while Qiao Xin was borderline unwatchable in her brief scenes in NiF, I did like her here as the studious Guan Guan (and resident worrywart). In a weird way, she also annoyed me the most, if only because I identified the most with her character and it was jarring seeing her flaws (which I share in spades) dissected and probed.
But Jiang Xin to me was the standout of the group performance-wise (no surprise - she made an absolutely evil character in the Legend of Zhen Huan sympathetic), and it was also her character that spoke the most to me. The situation that she faced with her family is very much a real one in China today (and real life is often worse), and it isn't one that has a real solution, because despite everything, family is family. She came across as such a wise and confident character at first, and little by little, her armor is chipped away, and the vulnerability lying within just breaks your heart.
Also - the Where's Waldo game with cameos from cast members of other Shanying productions was hilarious and so much fun (I will say I had to cheat at times where I could recognize the face but couldn't remember the role that the actor previously played).
I loved how the characters played off of each other and the writing was so smart and well thought out. The story did lag at times, but it's slice-of-life - it's bound to at times, and that's perfectly acceptable. There were times where I was annoyed with each of the characters in turn, but it just showed that they were being very human with their thoughts and decisions, and it often led to a very real life lesson.
The guys definitely took a backseat here, and none of the love lines are permanent (yet), and I loved the way they were used - none of them were princes, but they all helped with the maturation of one of the women in some way. Xiao Xiao (Wang Zi Wen) and her doctor boyfriend (Wang Kai) was a great portrayal of the modern young couple, and I can't wait to see how their relationship develops (or fails) in Season 2 because they still have a mountain of differences to wade through. (They are also so freaking cute - I kind of want to watch When A Snail Loves now just for them). Also - can we please get a show with LIu Tao and Jin Dong in a real love line?
It really isn't easy to tell the story of everyday people to an audience who is jaded and often unsatisfied with the way life is portrayed in dramas, but somehow, Ode to Joy does the impossible and delivers a show that will make you cry, make you laugh, and make you wish that you had that kind of sisterhood in your life. I wouldn't say that the show revolves around friendship, because there is still a lot of friction and misunderstanding even three quarters of the way through between some of the women, and a lot of the lessons that they learn is actually on an individual level, but it's still an integral part of the show.
Props again to the production team who have now proved they can tackle any genre and take it to the next level - I can't wait to see what Season 2 has in store for us!
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This is a fairly slow-paced movie, and it may be a great choice if you're having a peaceful weekend and you which to watch something that doesn't require a lot of focus. It is an enjoyable movie which may leave you feeling pleased and happy for all or some of the side characters - I say side characters because this is a movie that doesn't follow just -one- storyline; it moves from one couple to another, all as Lee Hyeong moves on to other bodies. Because of this, it felt more like watching a bunch of shorter movies than one movie as a whole. That said, I felt like it lacked a bit of a main purpose.
Yet again, I would recommend to watch it, for one of those calm evenings when you just want something to relax to.
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I do like Derek Chang & Amber Ann that's one of the reasons I wanted to watch this drama, the other reason is it reminded me the two kids were mentioned in Noam Chomsky's Linguistics textbook i have studied in University. In that book there were 2 kids raised by animals / raised in wild.
So here goes what I think about the drama,
I know many people moan about that they have not used real wolves in the drama, but come on it is almost impossible to find actor wolves, they have used Siberian Husky dogs instead which are wolf mix.
Husky's are very friendly and intelligent. The two huskies done a great job. I am sure they been awarded with loads of food.
There were some stuff that caught my eye, the decoration in the cave, there were artificial flowers, Ze Ming was pretty civilised, his haircut was modern, his clothing is also the same although he was raised in wild, he is speech language was pretty good, I believe it is because of the radio.
One day MiMi goes to Wolves Mountain to take photos of wolves, that's how MiMi & Ze Ming met, I think for both of them it was love at first sight.
Wolves are monogamous, So Ze Ming considers MiMi as his soulmate gives up his life in wild, takes his wolf dad and goes to civilised life, he starts to live with MiMi's family.
The first half of the drama I found the sister annoying, I just disliked the character, but on the second half we learn why she was behaving like that.
We don't have a bitch fe/male 2nd lead here. All the problems caused by the uncle and everything is resolved by the end of the drama.
As in most of the TW dramas Bii was behind a couple of songs
Ze Ming also matured, he still have that childish lovely side but it was more hidden when he matured.
We have loads of romance, loads of kissing scenes, We see how everyone ends of with their fated ones.
It has a rewatch value, I totally enjoyed the drama.
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I finished this drama til the end just because I was curious how the plot would turn out. I continued watching it because of Park Seo Joon and he was also the reason why I started watching it. Through the drama, the audience seemed to fall in love with Ji Dwi more than Sun Woo. But, it was not the case for me. I loved Sun Woo's character - a carefree, yet considerate, heroic character. Regardless of the plot or the character, Park Seo Joon did not disappoint me. Like most would agree, Park Hyung Sik also shined in this drama.
And I enjoyed some bromance between Ji Dwi and Sun Woo, Sun Woo and Han sung and among the six Hwarang. I wished it had more of that.
I hate to say this but this drama is only worth watching if you love either Park Seo Joon or Park Hyung Sik. Only then, you will be able to tolerate all the flaws and cliches in the drama.
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I like this drama.
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It's good drama. It's fun to watch. If you don't compare it with Goblin-which was also airing that time- you will find it's a really good watch.
Why you should try this? Here are my reasons.
The cast got most of the attention, when it came to Hwarang. It was star studded drama. And for that reason people were expecting, I don't know something really great from this.
I think they were good. If we talk about the their roles, they were good.
Park Hyung Shik nailed his character. Even thought I felt his character was a little weak written than Sun-Woo's but this man made it better. He acted like he was the lead and that was the reason why he shined, even though he was the second lead character. His acting, his expressions, his posture everything he did made his character stronger. And It takes great skill to do that. To make a weak character look stronge.
Go Ah Ra I absolutely loved her character Ah Ro. She was charming, clever, sometime a little scary. I loved her. Though sometime she wasn't necessary needed. She just got dragged along the storyline.
Park Seo Joon character was well written. Because of being the lead, it got more attention from the writer.
Do Ji Han cast as Ban Ryu Rang. Oh my god the last scene! That was brilliant!!
Choi Min Ho playing Soo Ho Rang. Jo Yoon Woo as dashing Yeo Wool Rang. And Kim Tae Hyung as Han Sung Rang all were pretty good. And pretty and cute. ^_^
And many more who were part of this.
The story line was slightly cliched. In the ending few episodes the story really took off. So if the makers didn't pushed the first episodes it would had been a well balanced story.
I don't like when a character suddenly goes missing. Same happen here. Not good.
I was more interested in the 2nd couple, Ban Ryn and Soo Yeon than the lead couple. From the beginning their story was more fun and happening then the others. I love the last scene between them. A gold star just for that!
The bromance between Park-Park was really something to watch. Specially in the ending scene. Not going to spoil but that was/ is going to be the reason why they are going to be ship together even more now.
But I love the bromance between Soo-Ho and Ban-Ryu. They were so so funny. The perfect love and hate relationship that we all love.
I like the songs. They were catchy. 'Our Tears' by Hyolyn that is a beautiful song. Even the male version which was by Park Seo Joon was kind of cool.
I'm probably not going to rewatch it any time soon. But maybe one day?
So in short watch this because you will love the beautiful faces in front of you. And a little bit of craziness that's in there.
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Being a Sato takeru fan, I had been waiting for this movie since the news of him playing in it came.
Then when it came out, I got the feeling that I shouldn't watch it. It's been a few months and I always looked at the images and comments but I was feeling that it wasn't the right time yet.
Then today I woke up and automatically I started watching it without even realizing it.
I wasn't disappointed.
Story:
Ok, the story may be a bit predictable, even more if you've read the synopsis. You can even guess how it will get done ect ect. But anyway, it was very enjoyable and there were some surprises.
Seeming-casual moments of life that are actually so important. They were so beautifully depicted!
You know what will happen, but that won't make you stop watching it, because you know it will be beautiful.
Acting:
As I said, I was already a Sato Takeru fan since a few years, so my opinion is probably biased, but I have to say his acting was top notch. The way he portrayed the devil was amazing and so different from the main character. Really, I was surprised. I like when he plays in movie like that or like "Real" (another of his movies that is kinda similar I think)
As for the other actors, I thought the mother played really well. You could see everything in her eyes and I love that. The girlfriend was really well played too, and the father fitted his role well. Well, they had fitted their roles haha.
And kudos for the cats That stayed so still and this everything like they had to x) gosh they were so cute hehe.
Music: well it's always said that music makes a good movie. Here, I wasn't disappointed: there were A LOT of music (well, you need at least that much for that kind of movie haha) and they were good musics and always on point.
Rewatch value: of course I will rewatch it! Maybe I'll see something that I didn't see while watching it for the first time. And the story is so beautiful... Yes, there is a good rewatch value because even though you already know more or less most of the story before even watching it the first time, it's still so enjoyable to watch. So yep.
Total: well, I just have to say that I think this movie could have been more. Or that it was complete, but then another movie should do more- I don't really know how to say it...
I feel like it was very beautiful and enjoyable but at the same time it's just like this movie did what it had to and nothing more. But maybe if I had watched it on a cinema screen it would've been different, as the beauuuuutiful images would probably have got more effect on me. I still think it is a very beautiful and poetic movie and that you need to sit comfortably and be totally awake to watch it, so that you can watch it and understand it entirely. I liked a lot the structure of the movie too.
It's not a sad movie actually, more like a beautiful life movie- life and death , yep, but about the beautifulness of life ~
So sit comfortably and go watch it!!
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This review may contain spoilers
This movie is something else.First off the story is very interesting. The setting is set in the beautiful Korean woods. The scenery adds to that creepy feeling of no escape. It's also set in 1938 which is interesting as it's set in the time Japan ruled over Korea. Even before the movie starts you get this feeling of powerlessness.
The acting is very well done. In horror movies from any country, acting is always the most important as it sets the mood. The acting these ladies had to do was very believable. Not to spoiler anything, there are scenes where you just can't believe they pulled it off.
You don't really get to hear much of the OST for this movie as it's normally not what you're focusing on. Yet the music and sound effects add to the effect of every scene.
Now, into the nitty gritty (without having to spoiler anything). After the ending, you are left with nothing, but questions. There is also a really of a relationship building with Joo Ran and Yeon Deok yet this isn't really explored which felt like nothing, but a tease. A personal added note a found this movie on Netflix and the bio says nothing about the time period and Japanese ruling. So when they kept switching from Japanese to Korean it caught me off guard and it made me very confused, but this of course is a mistake on Netflix's end. Still be prepared for bilingualism.
The rewatch value isn't very good as it's a horror movie. The scares aren't really anything in this film in the first place. Seeing them again would have even less of an effect. The main plot force starts to get good yet is stopped abruptly when the movie ends. Also this movie has quite a slow start as the first time the plot becomes interesting it's 30 minutes in. It also doesn't help that the entire is already 1 hour and 39 minutes.
In the end, I would say give this movie a try. I feel like it will be a big yes or no for people. I wouldn't really this film any priority, but if you have the extra time, why not. It's not really good, but it definitely isn't horrible. It gets my award of 'Being Okay'.
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I believe it was casted well for the characters they wanted to create. Personally, I dislike the I-have-no-feelings-but-I-am-attractive male characters, which is presumably the route they wanted to have Uehara have. To think about this, Shiraishi did well. It is a similar thing with the female lead, where the character is relatively over-the-top, but it is quite clear this was the aim so it is not a problem. If these are the sort of characters you enjoy to follow, then this drama is very much something you should watch. I know when I first watched this, I really enjoyed these sorts of characters.
The music was quite repetitive, but personally I do not believe overdone. It wasn't like most dramas where they have an overplayed sad song for all sad situations. This makes it quite good and bareable.
I don't believe it has a big rewatch value, but it I will certainly watch the sequel.
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It’s amazing how many unreasonable people are in this show. It took me a while to warm up to this show but it did hook me by episode 4. This is such a strange show with strange characters. Even more strange than usual I would almost say.
Everyone is so full of themselves and every single character talks about their non-existent coolness. They are all trying so hard to put on a good show for everyone (literally and metaphorically). It’s weird seeing the main characters throwing around their weight so much and their sense of entitlement. They are all concerned about what everyone else thinks. To fend off their insecurities they attack each other.
Ye Jin – female lead
“You’ll know once you start editing. When someone says something and there’s no response from the other person...then that means...you have to edit it.”
It’s always really great to see a woman in a male-dominated work force.
Ye Jin and Joon Mo are good friends. They tell each other everything and then they make fun of each other a lot too.
Seung Chan
Seung Chan is the only normal guy in this drama. He gets picked on but in a way that is so ridiculous, I still laugh anyway. He’s the kind of guy that apologises for everything but he’s pretty much never in the wrong really. He likes to follow the rules.
He has very subtle ways of showing his contempt or rebellious nature.
He has passive aggression to the limit.
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The story was quite beautiful really. Shuta was a very sweet, caring character which made the story very nice. On face value, the friendship is portrayed quite well. I think they fitted quite well into the story and they had fairly good charisma. However, thinking about the story line, it is similar to things I have seen before, but more friendship based (did I mention it is quite friendship based). It is not completely original, and seems like a mixture of a few dramas and/or films. Despite the lack of originality in the story, it's a good storyline.
However, due to the lack of originality and the feeling of having seen this before, it does not have a huge rewatch value. This does not mean you have seen it before, and it is worth watching, but it is familiar.
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It is way more enjoyable if you view the whole thing as an IRL recreation of a Sims playthrough, down to the hair and gaudy interiors.
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