Reviews

Tombitis

Mystic Nine was my first longform C-drama. William Chan, Zhao Liying, Zhang Yixing, Ying Haoming and Zhang Mingen were perfectly cast in their roles. William's and Mingen's fight scenes/stunts were very impressive (their characters were highly skilled members of the mysterious Zhang family tree).

There were holes in the plot that was not clearly defined. There was some awkward editing, too much tomb filler or repetitive flashbacks. Sometimes two scenes were intercut, causing fidgets or short attention span, to get to the end of the episode. Some plotlines seemed interminable; time stood still in the tombs. Some deleted scenes should have been kept intact, that would have filled in the blanks.

If the drama had been edited properly with the existing film footage, the drama could have looked stellar. Instead of 48 episodes, they could have re-engineered it down to 40 episodes.

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I enjoyed this short series very much. It was a cute office romance and had lots of sweet and funny moments. The plot summary didn't originally grab me, and I didn't plan to watch this at all until I saw a teaser for it. I was immediately intrigued.

This was my first time seeing any of these actors. I would very much like to see the actress that played Go Ho do another rom-com. I thought she was quite good. I was also taken with the main male lead. He was quite cute at displaying his jealousy for Go Ho. And I think the chemistry between the leads was believable. I didn't care as much for the second lead, as he just didn't convey any emotion in my eyes. The other side characters, vying for Go Ho's affections are interesting and keep it fun.

The music didn't stand out much, but suited the mood of the scenes.

I think this is a good weekend watch and wouldn't even mind seeing it again.

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Normally, I wouldn't watch this type of drama at all. It just doesn't really fit my type of genre but I had to start this because of Key. I've always known he had a talent in acting but never really got a chance in dramas so this was something that I was so happy to see.

It started off okay and was a bit slow paced but it picked up after a few episodes. The comedy in this was really good, I was laughing along with it a lot.

The main couple's story was okay but my favourite part of it was the trio of KiBum, Gong Myung and Dong Young! These three made the whole drama for me, all their scenes were full of delight. They all did such a good job in this and it really made the viewer laugh and cry along with them. For me, Key was the main character. You could really see his talent shine through this role and he put lots of effort into it so I'm very proud of him. I can't wait to see him act in more dramas and showcase his talent

I also have to commend Hwang Jin Yi who was absolutely hilarious to watch and Min Jin Woong and his impressions! Omg they were the best! I always looked forward to every impression he would do~

I felt like I could relate to the students' struggles of juggling all the studying, work, friendship and love lives from my own past experiences and they portrayed it in a realistic manner which was refreshing to see.

The food and drink they showed in this drama was really nice, it made me really hungry and thirsty at the same time xD

I am definitely gonna miss this drama. I am so glad I started this drama because it turned out to be such a great watch and I'm going to venture more into this genre because of how much I enjoyed it.

Overall, lots of fun to watch so I would highly recommend it!

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If you are looking for a romantic crime drama that is fun to follow then this is not for you. If you're looking for a nice in-between light drama then you'll love this. I saw this was a mystery, crime and romance drama and thought that this was going to be great but I only felt disappointed when I finished it. They had a great plot, to begin with, but then it turned all fluffy and then there was no crime or mystery. The acting was ok so that was good because bad acting would make this drama not even worth watching. Although this was a mini-drama I believe this could have been so much better if it were a bit more serious. Judging from the comment section I can tell most people were hoping for it to go deeper and explore the plot.

I give it an overall 3 and the only reason it gets a 3.0 instead of a 1.0 is because I don't think I ever gave a drama a 1.0 and because its a mini-series so to be realistic I can't expect ten minute episodes to be as deep as an hour episode only so much they could fit. That being said I think it would make a great 16 episode drama if they took the plot and explored with it. So 3.0 for a nice try!

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To be honest, I started watching this because of my mini-obession (at the time) with Kiko Mizuhara. And I was both satisfied and not satisfied with the series.

Seeing Haruta's character, and his set up was pretty interesting. It's very rare that Japanese dramas try to cover such territory without belittling such characters or overdramatizing them. This had none of that as Shin seems pretty cheerful and accepting of most anyone and anything. Honestly, I would've liked it more without the romance elements.

In comes Haruta's ex-wife, and Miyako (Kiko Mizuhara) to churn up feelings on all ends, and where we get the most interesting character interactions. They were sweet, they were hurtful, and it really exemplified true human emotions. Of course, with over the top, weird side plots and minor characters that were quirky but rather laughable. The conclusion was solid, but rather expected and kinda creepy when you think about ages of the characters.

I did like both the ending and opening themes; they balanced a lot of the elements of the show well. Of course, the music throughout the series was appropriate but unmemorable.

My major problem is that this show pretty much pigeon-holed Kiko as a typical troupe. Get to about episode 6 of this series, look up her character in 'Shitsuren Chocolatier' and you'll see what I mean.

My second problem in Shin. He shows very minimal character development, even though he's one of the main characters. It's kinda amazing how truly of an air head he remains for the majority of the series.

Overall, if you're looking for a not so typical rom-com for some easy watching; 'Kokoro ga Pokitto ne' is your series.

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I watched 'Limit' since it was a recommended short 'spooky' series to watch to get into the halloween spirit. From the poster, plot synopsis, and eventually the first episode; I was hooked. I managed to marathon the entire series in two days.

The plot is rather simple; a group of 30 students and 2 teachers are set to go on a school trip. Unfortunately, due to a series of circumstances on the fault of both the school and bus company an accident ensues and only 5 students are alive, and stranded in the woods of Shizuoka where they are pushed to all their 'limits'. It's more psychological then gore, and more survival story then survival of the fittest.

I was hooked from episode one. It's paced rather quickly, but not overwhelmingly so. The short episodes cover a lot of ground in 30 minutes but rarely does it leave loose ends. If you're not careful, you'll miss certain details that will come back into the story.

The actors and casting was PERFECT. The mixed appearances, backgrounds really add a lot of depth and variety to the show where it could have been rather stale. I really couldn't have asked for a better cast. I rarely get hooked from acting alone (usually plot or a single actor/actress) but this series had it all. The actual setting/set they used was excellent as well.

The music was alright. They had good mood music, but nothing memorable.

Like a lot of reviews I leave; I'm not a huge re-watcher. But this series since it's so short and packs a punch I'd consider re-watching.

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I started -To Be a Better Man- totally unexpectedly and wow it was such a pleasant and unique experience, this is one of those rare dramas that made me go through various feelings as one minute it can be so funny and the next minute so heartwarming (touching). The strength of TBaBM definitely lies in its main characters (Lu Yuan, Jiang Lai and a few others) and its unique storytelling using flashbacks to narrate us Lu Yuan's past stories and the way he lived back then with his friend(s) and girlfriend , I have to admit they were very efficient and for once I didn't find them boring or redundant. This is really a charming drama.  I don't know how to describe it, it's way more than a drama, it's realistic, it's 100% Hilarious, actually I giggled from the beginning to the end, totally didn't imagine a Chinese drama could make me laugh that much and bring me so much entertainment, Lu Yuan's madness is really something to not miss, I saw a man who only wanted to make his relatives happy and for that he used the most unpredictable ways, I'm sure he didn't even realise he was being crazy and daring while doing all those things; also it's never overly dramatic so it was way easier for me to watch it, especially during the hard times I had these past few months. lastly I feel the need to say it's not a drama about food although our main protagonist is a (world) renowned chef, so in that aspect I was very pleased too as I'm not fond of this genre.
When I say this drama is crazy it's not an overstatement, Truly undefinable.


As I said above I didn't really expect anything from this drama indeed I did find the beginning a bit slow, the first 10 eps were good but something was missing for me to fully enjoy it, I was still curious about Lu Yuan and Jiang Lai and wanted to continue for them as I loved their interactions and their chemistry and found them so intriguing. Also I was very fascinated by the Ost, the colours and the cinematography : the reason why I continued and we can clearly see it's a high budget drama and they did so much effort which are very noticeable if we pay a close attention to every little detail. And slowly I fell in love with Lu Yuan and I think it's around ep 11 when Lu Yuan ordered a Wellington Steak in a restaurant that I realised I was already under his spell and I then I told myself '' this man has clearly nothing to lose, he is special and he has something that no other male leads have, he is strange, full of tricks, fearless and hilarious'' this instant I knew this drama had an offbeat feel and that it would suit my current mood.

This is a story about a man, Lu Yuan who lost everything in the United States and decides to come back to his motherland with his friend's ashes, he is then his friend's daughter guardian and has the duty to take care of her until she becomes an adult. We will follow each and every of his adventure in China, his reunion with his past friends (mostly his ex girlfriend) and his meeting with one enigmatic and fickle woman, Jiang Lai. It looks simple reading it like that but that's all what transported me for 42 eps.
Undeniably Lu Yuan was the highlight of the show and he was truly the only shining star for me though I loved Jiang Lai and Lau Tai Tai (Da Hai's mother) a lot. Lu Yuan is not a character he is more than that, simply too real and too charismatic to be unreal (in my world), that's how much I love and admire this man, we all need a Lu Yuan in our life to illuminate our days.
Of course I need to mention the gorgeous Jian Shu Ying, who completely stole my heart here with her beautiful smile, her mannerisms, capricious and lovely personality, simply I fell in love with her charisma, I think she has a peculiar beauty but all those traits make her so elegant and lovely. She made a great pair with our main actor Sun HongLei and I love every one of their scene together. Da Hai's mother was the sweetest and loveliest character in the drama, so caring, she's also the only one who made me cry here, some of her scenes are too powerful. Of course I loved the little cutie Xiao Cai who truly loves and admires Lu Yuan for who he is, never judging him and accepting him the way he is, without conditions. They both made me smile so much. I did like the other characters, Jia He could be very adorable and understanding but I didn't like how she always wanted to control Lu Yuan's life, she could easily become irritating at times. Don't have much to say about Jiang Haokun and Gan Jing, they clearly don't inspire me!

There are 42 eps but I can tell you that when I was already at the end I wish there were more waiting for me. ><


Now the Ost, I immediately fell in love with this music, I mean the first thing that attracted me in this drama is the opening so enchanting and beautiful, both musically and visually and it's the best I ever heard/seen. The songs and pieces of music here fitted perfectly with the atmosphere of the drama and were well chosen for certain scenes. I love the ending song "Lu Yuan" so so so much, aww.

I think this drama is definitely not for everyone, though it's very special to me and it means a lot as it brought me so many laughter and enjoyment. I'd recommend it more to people who are looking for mature, delirious, not typical and realistic stories though it has a bit of fantasy* (EDIT: eventhough* it felt weird and inappropriate at times it didn't bother me too much hence I change my 9.5 into a 10).
THIS DRAMA IS TERRIBLY UNDERRATED, hope it eventually gets the attention it deserves.

Last but not least I love this quote : "True love is actually very simple and plain, whenever I sit next to him just by the look in his eyes, the tone in his voice I feel strongly that we could both read each other's minds. Some people might never come across such a feeling." Lu Yuan truly deserves to be loved.

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STORY:
I loved this drama. It was so interesting the whole way through. There are several plot twists and interesting details. I loved the special effects - not all where great but it was okay. I am looking forward to watching the next 7 seasons when they come (according to Wikipedia there will be 8 seasons)

ACTING:
The acting was great and i loved how the characters developed through the episodes. I especially loved the characters of Fatty and Young Master. Young Master helped with the mystery throughout the episodes while Fatty gave most of the comedy. I hope that all the actors are the same for the next seasons.

MUSIC:
There wasn't must music in it other than a few "songs" that was played over and over through the episodes. It wasn't really that interesting, since it didn't manage to keep my interest.

REWATCH VALUE:
I will totally watch this again - more than once!

OVERALL: A great drama! 9/10!!

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The plot is great and is interesting. It was made impressively. The idea is unique. The story has a lot of twists and turns. There are episodes that break my heart as well. I always feel intense whenever there's a fight.

At first I was a little bored since historical drama and politics aren't my cup of tea but I already got adjusted in it and understand the concept of kingdom and it's pretty amazing! Another thing is, the two main characters portrayed their role very well. Kim Hee Sun is such an impressive actress especially with the last episodes. Her acting is full of emotion and it's like for real. Lee Min Ho is a talented actor. From Jeo Gol Dae's cheerful youngest head, to stoic, serious Wu Dal Chi's captain and finally, to a warrior who came back to life (not literally since he's been like dead for the past seven years) who falls in love with a girl from the future and is even willing to risk his life to protect her and the palace as well.

Music? Well, one of this drama assets are their original soundtrack. I love the music played in here. My feels~

I was kept thinking why is it entitled "Faith" XD But good thing it was answered as I finished watching it.

Anyway, totally recommended especially for those viewers who like action, fantasy and romance! ^_^

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This film I watched on a flight between Tokyo and Frankfurt, and given I had no internet to give myself a brief summary I jumped in and lets just say I was not ready for what was to come. I was ready for a light hearted, fluffy film. At parts it was that, but at parts it really wasn't. I would not suggest watching this in a bad mood, but I would completely and utterly suggest watching it! This film is not the sort of thing that is just going to leave you sitting there and thinking 'that was quite nice'. You'll be thinking about it for a while, I assure you.

The characters within it, I think, were done very well. Suwa was portrayed extremely well. Given his situation within, I think the actor did a very good job of showing the audience the emotions which his character would have had, as well as not losing his personality. Within the film with such a detailed, emotional plot, often the personalities of the characters are lost. However you can tell with the character of Suwa, that his personality was not lost. The only critism for the characters is I felt like Kakeru and Naho were not as filled with a personality as I would have liked. They were both rather dull outside of the trauma. Despite that, the writers may have seen that as an effect of what was going on, so it is not a huge problem.

I think the music fit the story, but I can't remember the music too much. This may have been the plan to be fair, because to come out of a film like this and remember the music more would be a bit sad. I would have to rewatch it to fully judge the music.

I would definitely rewatch this film, as it is such a beautiful film. However I would have myself prepared. It is a truly beautiful film, and I would recommend it to anybody!

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This follow on from the first Love In Tokyo, I think excels what they did in the first series. Personally, I enjoyed this one more and thought it was full of a lot more cute moments, and certainly made me more satisfied with what happened within the first series. Also I think it's partly a journey of seeing all of the characters evolve and become at one with their emotions, which I really enjoy. There is certainly a development in the character of Irie Naoki, which makes the drama a lot more satisfying.

Story - 9.5
I loved the story within this series. Even though it's not original, I think it is a lot more pure and lovely to watch compared to the original series. However it is less of an on-going story line, and more like each of the episodes are slightly off course. In the first series, there was a clear ending goal, whereas in this series it is less of a straight line, and more like going around a huge house, where you are going to different strange places just to see what it is like. Despite that, I think that is a lot sweeter, but then again wouldn't work without the first series.

Acting/Cast - 8.5
I think the acting gets a lot better within this series. This may have been due to the progression of the actors or the characters, but it seems a lot more fluid. The only critism I can properly think of is I think the change between the actors of Irie Yuki was a bit strange, because I think the second actor didn't get the full personality of him out.

Music - 8
Similar to how I viewed the first one, within this series the opening theme was very catchy. However it didn't play a lot of music, but to go from that song, I liked the music.

Rewatch Value - 9.5
I think this has a larger rewatch value then the original because it was so much cuter. Also having watched the first one, I wouldn't be confused by the general plotline, but I would appreciate rewatching this one more then the first series.

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Personally, I found this drama very sweet, as I do quite like the Itazura Na Kiss story. I think it was done overall very well, and I enjoyed feel of the drama. I think, given it is a Japanese version of the story, it worked better then other versions because in Japan they seem to have a much larger sense of sweetness to them!

Story - 9
I have given the story 9 because I absolutely adore the Itazura Na Kiss story line. However, to follow a story line, it mustn't change drastically. For this reason it does not have a 10, because of course it cannot be original, but it was still a good take on the story! If you have already watched a version of this story (eg. Playful Kiss) then I wouldn't skip out on this drama, but I wouldn't expect too many differences. It is still a good watch in my opinion!

Acting/Cast - 7.5
My main critism about the casting is probably the difficulty of playing Irie Naoki. I think Furukawa Yuki is very good looking and good at pulling a straight face, which is mostly the character. Despite this, I think the character is too dull in that sense, as he only seemed to show emotion in the last episode. This may have been the characters or actors fault, but I can't be sure. I think Miki Honoka did an extremely good job, especially given the age she was when it was filmed. The character of Kotoko is very over the top, and I think she portrayed her very well. Personally, I think the version of Kinnosuke was better in the Korean version. Overall the acting is quite good, but could be better.

Music - 8
The music in this drama, when played, was catchy. The opening theme I enjoyed, and I thought was very good relating to the drama (although Kotoko's face when she is 'crying' is hillarious). However I didn't feel like music was played very often, especially compared to other dramas I've seen. Despite this, I like there being less music, but it may not fit everybodies tastes!

Rewatch Value - 7.5
I think I would enjoy rewatching it because, as I said previously, the Itazura Na Kiss story is great and I personally love it. However with there being several versions, I don't think I would rewatch it any time soon, because if I want to see the story again, I have a variety of choices to watch. However this is not the fault of this specific drama but of the fact that it is a widely popular storyline!

Overall, I think it is a good drama, and if you enjoy the Itazura Na Kiss story then you should certainly watch it!

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