The story is centered around a group of high school girls, a few teachers, and one small family of three living in the high school after the zombie apocalypse happens. The girls face being killed not only on the outside, but the inside as well. Of course, being trapped in school there's a lot of internal drama as well. The story actually had a lot of minor details done right that lead from one plot point to another really well. If you can get past some of the cringe (too many inserted moments of the little boys flipping their skirts), and the side tracked episode 4, you'll be pretty intrigued by the drama as a whole.
I don't remember anyone's names, but the acting by everyone was really well done. It wasn't cringe-y, and it wasn't unwatchable as whole. The main members for the drama that were chosen did well, and actually looked like they were acting. Just mostly ignore their narrator counterparts. Part of me understood the cheesy intros and part of me wished they weren't there at all.
The music is fun to listen too, and isn't all AKB stuff. It's rather quirky once you see and hear the 'magic' song.
The major fault of this was the ending. I hated it, it was not satisfactory at all considering the build up it had and the potential. I wasn't expecting it to be completely concluded with no loose ends, but the ending they chose and how they framed it was beyond disappointing. That sapped my re-watch value completely for this series.
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That was more or less the message of this drama. And I loved it. But I loved even more the way the story was told, the originality of it. The fact that a deep message could be told in a lighthearted and simple way. I love their sense of rythm. And the fact that the plotline is somewhat based on Korean mythology is also a plus for me. Hong sisters are actually masters at this, and I love dramas with a supernatural element.
I loved the cast, both Shin Min Ah and Lee Seung Gi were cut out for the role. They had a lot of chemistry and all the sexual innuendos in the script were just so funny. And the supporting actors were also great, specially Song Dong Il as the action school director. His role, a parody of Chow Yun Fat action roles in Chinese movies and his scenes with Yoon Yoo Sun were absolutely hilarious (the references to Asian pop culture seem to be a trademark in Hong sisters dramas and this was no exception).
Surprisingly, I loved No Min Woo's character as well. I'm not a fan, but I really liked his role and performance in this.
Is there anything I didn't like? Well, yes. I hated Park Soo Jin's character. I guess it was just some treat to the audience. I mean, this is the type of character you encounter in EVERY drama, the girl everybody loves to hate. And it's not just that I hate this type of character in here: I hate it everytime, in every drama. But since everything else felt almost perfect in this, I think that subplot was a downer.
I didn't like the fact that the story drifted from Mi Ho to Dae Woong's character as the plot developed either. Or at least that's the feeling I got. And the ending felt a little rushed, maybe...?
Also, the fact that I loved the story and how it is told, doesn't mean that I didn't cringe at all the sexism implied in the undertone message. That is, the fact that Mi Ho's character is a satire of the overattached girlfriend cliché, which I hate. And I have mixed feelings about all the romanticism and the mystification of love (the bead, the chi energy exchange thing). I think it's a beautiful allegory, and a beautiful story to be told in a movie or a TV drama, but it's kind of dangerous in real life, depending on how it's interpreted.
Anyways, I absolutely loved and enjoyed this all along, and it's become hands down one of my favourite romantic comedy dramas ever.
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This review may contain spoilers
Un début de série assez chaud... pour poser l'intrigue qui est assez intéressante. Ce drama que l'on peu classer dans la section Policier, l'est aussi en parallèle dans la section Romance compliquée ...Les acteurs jouent vraiment bien et le "méchant" (je vais pas spoiler pour ceux qui ont pas encore regardés) est vraiment effrayant jusqu'au bout ... sa personnalité fait meme un peu pitié je dirais sur la fin mais bon c'est l'histoire; lol.
En même temps c'est quand meme un tueur en série hein ... L'actrice joue tres bien, et le concepte des odeurs transformées en micro objets colorés est vraiment intéressant et novateur.
Pour l'histoire d'amour, les deux protagoniste forment un joli couple... un peu décallé. Elle avec son odorat hors du commun et lui avec sa perte des sens. Après avoir terminé cette série je passe d'une note initiale de 8 (en cours de visionnage) à un 9. Une série qui m'a au final beaucoup plu avec une fin comme je les aime ....
Une série en somme assez simple mais bien dévellopé. Si vous aimez les énigmes à résoudre foncez, ce drama est écrit pour vous.
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Pleins de rebondissement, d'inattendu.
Le sujet n'est pas ordinaire et les acteurs jouent vraiment très très bien, on ne sait jamais à l'avance ce qu'il va se passer dans l'histoire. Bon visionnage en gros !
Attention c'est un "Policier Thriller" ça bouge ... si vous n'aimez pas ce genre passez votre chemin.
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J'ai beaucoup aimé l'intrigue, l'histoire, le jeu des personnages, les acteurs jouent vraiment bien, que dire de plus.
Une belle fin aussi (même si toujours un peu baclée à mon gout, ce que je trouve un peu dommage, d'ou le 9,5 au lieux de 10) pourquoi les auteurs ne prennent-ils pas le temps de nous faire de vrai belles fins qui ressemblent à quelque chose !!! pas juste les 5 dernières minutes du drama quand celui-ci fait entre 16 et 20 épisodes... enfin, Bref, reste que ce drama vaut le détour évidemment.
A voir et éventuellement revoir.
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to subbed this as in you subbed it till the end, thank you! thank you!
if its not because of you I or We couldnt watch this beautiful lakorn! .
I just finished watching this and OMG! This lakorn is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!
and it makes me want to have a mafia lover! . Kodus to the actors
and actresses who portrayed their role perfectly especially to the actors who
are in the mafia family ( I just want you guys to know that the actors are so
HANDSOME !! and im not lying about it!! ) they are so COOL in holding the
guns and when they fight and I just cant help but to fall in love with them! .
And also I love the ootds in this drama ( if someone here is like an
ootd girl then you must check this drama coz they have so cool ootds! .
I love what the drama wants to tell us or what the lesson that it brings to us.!
I highly recommend u guys to watch this!
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In terms of story, it is quite a mixture of heartwarming and hilarity. You can never go wrong with the fish-out-of-water concept.
It is clear the movie is trying to send an explicit message to its audience to respect the elderly, not to look down on them, not to be ashamed of them, to be grateful for their contributions and sacrifices. While these are valid takeaway lessons, what I was hoping to get more of in the movie was for Granny to have an opportunity to look back on her regrets or mistakes. While the movie did raise some of these aspects, we didn’t really show Granny exploring or delving deeply into these regrets.
Shim Eun-kyung is already well-known as a great actress at her tender age. It’s amazing how she perfectly embodies an old soul inhabiting the body of a young woman. Sung Dong Il is as usual great. Lee Jin Wook is of course charming in his role as a young man taken by Shim Eun-kyung’s peculiar character. Jinyoung is okay.
Overall, it’s a good heartwarming watch.
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Iwai explores loneliness, longing, companionship, destruction and construction of Japanese family, the rigid nature of Japanese society in the modern age. This makes Bride both a affirmation and subversion of Iwai's earlier films that I've watched like Love Letter, All About Lily Chou Chou and Hana and Alice. If those films reflects nostalgia, Bride seeks to redefine how the age of technology may bring people closer but also further and how this creates and define human connection.
Bride still incorporates Iwai signatures like sun flares, soulful montage, instrumental music and bringing in small scenes to bigger ones. Yet, Bride stands as its own. It's not as romantic as Love Letter of Hana and Alice nor as the coming-of-age of All About Lily Chou Chou. Despite a 12-year hiatus, Iwai doesn't lose his touch. He is still a very lyrical storytelling in a 3-hour emotional tale driven by an impressive cast, beautiful cinematography and heart whelming music.
When it comes to cinematography, Iwai's films are on the top of list. But of course, the credit goes to the film's cinematographer, Chiga Kanbe. What I love about Bride is how Iwai (and Kanbe) tells some much with its visuals and music that doesn't overpower each other even if sometimes, the dialogue is barely heard. The music by Mako Kuwabara embraces its stunning visuals. The overall tone is filled with sheer melancholy reflected with the littered cold colors, we too, are plunged in Kuroki's trauma paired with unstable camera angles showing a distorted vision.
Iwai knows how to tug at your heartstrings. He knows how to many silent shots mean so much more later. And finally, he knows how to build up drama and tension. It's 3 hours long (shorter in other countries) but the tension never subsides and the reveal particularly of Ayano Go and Cocco particularly laid down every detail shown prior to it. It makes the execution so satisfying. Yes, 3 hours is very long. Overly long and the film could've been shorter but very scene counts. Every scene matters. Though they seem random, they're not. That's how I felt watching this.
The cast, led by Hana Kuroki has amazing chemistry together and each of their characters contrast one another that brings out the personalities more. It's not a lopsided portrayal despite Mashiro (Cocco)'s later appearance in the second half. These characters aren't stock or just for display, they are there for a reason and their characters are explored.
Kuroki plays Nanami, a timid doe-eyed wallflower. Kuroki embodies a certain innocence that makes Nanami's somewhat bittersweet ending...worthwhile. She shines, in a subtle, very modest way but she shines. Though I would say Go is my favorite. He just has this charisma that pushes its way through. Playing a jack-of-all-trades, part Mephistopheles, he has done it with such clarity. Cocco is the light of the film (as ironic has that sounds given her character's fate) because of how vibrant and how lively she is compared to Kuroki's character.
Iwai doesn't sugarcoat these characters. He establishes them as such and moves on as much, making their emotions and experiences so much more connective with the viewer. He shows Nanami as awkward and docile by her experiences in school, having no relatives to invite at her wedding and eventually her own marriage.
Kuroki and Go stared in Flower of Shanidar (2013) which explains their good chemistry. But Kuroki and Cocco also share this same chemistry particularly because they're opposites of each other which really brings out their own respective personalities. Perhaps their bond is more than sisterly, maybe even erotic but I see it as more platonic bond of two lonely women, trying to find comfort in a directionless world.
Very much like Rip Van Winkle, these two women wake up in a world that breaks away from their past and try to make the most out of it...to be happy.
Bride also stands out because of how symbolic things are and how metaphorical it is. There is a scene where Kuroki approaches Go, some might see as romantic but Go's lines are metaphorical which relates back to the reveal of both his and Cocca's character. Seeing how Iwai reverts that and how Iwai chooses dialogue as a vital component in storytelling.
Finally, I want to say that there is so much suppressed emotions in this film which perhaps echoes the rigidity of Japanese social mores. Cocca's occupation is a very clever and important choice that relates to that. Not going to mention here explicitly but her job embodies the freedom and rejects this rigidity. Overall, it ties back to what the films show. Leaving yourself bare and exposed is a more intimate emotion where throughout the film, you suffocate by how much people are keeping and how fake they can be especially in this digital age.
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Most Recommended: 10/10
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Good Morning Call has a somewhat overused story line. Timid girl meets boy and, by some odd happenstance, both are forced to spend excessive amounts of time together to hide their deepest secret: living together while attending school.
Now, tropes are not inherently awful and having a classic story-line like this certainly doesn't sully the show itself. Admittedly, they did a pretty good job at filling in that trope with meaningful characters, story progression, and evolving relationships. However, it still leaves a lot to be desired and that's why my score is average.
My first gripe has to be with the acting chops on most of these characters. Nao Yoshikawa does a tremendous job working through the serious parts in the show. The emotions seem sincere and don't feel awkward when watching, but some of the more lovable and goofy moments appear forced and almost annoying.
I found that some moments seem to drag on far too long, making it uncomfortable to watch. Many of her goofy scenes - mostly the ones that require her to hide that she has any feelings for a certain someone - seem very over-acted and drawn out. Sometimes forcing me to fast-forward through some bits just so I can catch my breath.
Uehara is a more frustrating character. He's a very brooding and bleak character (understandably so, after you learn more about his past), but hoping for any sort of character evolution seemed like a lost cause. Even though you knew his underlying feelings and that he was hiding his affection for Nao most of the show, he never once outwardly showed that side of him, which was unfortunate to say the least.
All of the other characters seemed really well acted. I enjoyed the relationships with Marina and was visibly excited every-time she came onto the screen. Her story with Mitsuishi is almost better than the main story and I was really glad that she appeared frequently throughout the entire show.
My second gripe has to be with fillers. Some episodes seemed to persist longer than I would have liked and didn't really add to the story all that much. While there weren't very many that I could find, I did sometimes find myself wanting to fast forward to some of the better bits. Which, to give the show credit, it did have plenty of those 'better bits' between those fillers.
Lastly, my praise for the show.
I think it did a lot of things right. It took an overused trope and placed it into a good story. It was inevitable that something like this would have a couple of hurdles to jump over, but it really was an entertaining and engaging story that fell just short only a couple times - which is more than I can say for most American shows!
If you're considering watching this, I would absolutely recommend it. Also, if you're not a complete stickler for story like I am, then you'll probably disregard most of the complaints that I had with the show. Many users praise this show and I can see why, so go ahead and watch it!
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The plot for this show was so cute and clever, I loved it. The only reason it's rated an 8 on my actual list is just when I compare it to other dramas I've watched it is not the highest of quality (but it's only 2 episodes so it's understandable). This show was filled with funny moments and I didn't expect myself to love the main couple as much as I did. My only annoyance with this had to be the lead female's voice at times... So high pitched. But aside from that minor detail I will definitely be rewatching this on a rainy cold day to make myself laugh and re-experience all the cuteness. ?
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The differences between the Korean and Japanse are the japanese was more suspenseful. Because the winners were declaring their strategy AFTER the game so you can really feel the suspese and you'll say "oh that's how it happend". Unlike in the korean version they're already telling their moves while they're playing. So there was no suspense at all.
In the japanse version it was full of games and suspense no anything else. While in korean has a lot of additional and unecessary padding stories. I just don't feel like watching it and I just want to skip that part but I didn't because I was expecting that something different will happend. Unfortunately there was not.
The characters in Japanese are so appealing! From naive Nao, genius Akiyama, Tricky Fukunaga and terrifying Katsuragi (from season 2) In Korean the characters didn't give justice on their particular characters. Their acting was just so plane except from Kang Do Yeong. He looks so evil!
One thing also I like in Japanese version was their background music. It makes the scene more suspenseful and thrilling! In korean, the background music was ok but not as good as on the japanese.
I was so disappointed on this. I thought they will make a new a unique concept from the first one but I was wrong. Very wrong!. :(
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