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Story: It starts off with the child stories and here is where you see everything (father's death, siblings seperated, meeting of the romantic OTP #1) go down. When the characters grow up, there are multiple time jumps and twist and turns throughout to keep you engaged till the very end. Be prepared to cry a lot and be shocked at how the romantic pairings go (they are twisted). I loved the ending although it was bittersweet. I will say that this definitely could have been done with a shorter ep count because there were many filler scenes.
Acting: Excellent ensemble cast. Everyone from the 2 main couples to the supporting cast was amazing. I got attached to all the characters and it was crazy how everyone who is considered protagonists also showed a bad side to them. The writers did a phenomenal job in writing these characters. Just wanted to mention I wasnt too keen on Lee Bum Soo in the beginning but by the end I had become a fan! The chemistry btwn him and Park Jin Hee was perfect.
Music: The score was so fitting. Powerful when it needed to be and emotional in all the right places.
Rewatch: Although its a large ep count, I loved the acting so much that i would like to try and watch this every year if i have the time cause its so epic.
Overall Giant is a must watch for any die hard drama fan and the perfect introduction to Lee Bum Soo. Dont be turned off by the huge ep count or you will be missing out!
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there was just too much of everything and the main stroy line seemed to drown in all the rest.
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the two leads had an oddly pleasant back and forth.
this is nothing that's going ot blow your mind but it will definately leave you with a satisfied smile if you dont take it too seriously.
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Plot is good and I think it's similar to American series "Cold Case". I liked that series but I think this one is better because this doesn't have many and many more seasons like non-Asian dramas usually has...
Acting was great. Ueto Aya is my favorite actress (well one of them) so I might be biased a bit. Her character was different from her characters before. I also liked every other character too. I think the "lab nerds" were amazing, especially Kimura Ryo.
I liked the insert songs/music in this drama. Opening and ending suited for the drama but they weren't my taste though..but I still liked them...maybe it's a bit weird..
I re-watch only rare few dramas and I think I might just re-watch this one day. Though there's still SP and 2nd Season for me to watch.
Overall I gave this 8 even though most of the ratings are 6...
This is a good drama for Ueto Aya fans and people who likes mystery dramas like I do :D
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I first watched this movie in High School. My friend had found it in one of those used VHS bins at the Flea Market, and let me tell you it was money well spent. This movie reminds me of those awesome 80's movies where two unlikely people meet up and end up on an insane, funny adventure. It's a quirky comedy, so if you like those types of movies you'll probably enjoy it.
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At first, I wasn't sure if I was going to watch it. Let's face it - half balded guys aren't exactly eye candy. But I was wrong! And I'm glad I found people who were raving about it because it made me want to watch it! I got over that issue by the 5th episode - and some of the Prince's are still cute! And whatever else lacks, the story is the most important part - and it was excellent! I had mixed feelings about the princes' throughout the drama.
The acting was amazing! I've heard that Chinese dramas tend to not be acted out that well - but this one is certainly an exception! Wonderfully done - whatever the characters were feeling were clearly portrayed. They cried - I cried.
The music is beautiful! I love the soundtrack! Listening to it now, it just makes me sad - but I can't stop listening! Beautiful!
I don't think I'll rewatch this drama soon - only because there's already so many I have lined up to watch.
Overall - this drama was really worth the time. 35 episodes may seem like a lot - but the story is really done well and it made every episode worth it!
On a side note - keep in mind to expect some not so good greenscreen use and such. Actually some of it was bad enough that it made some scenes [when they're riding on a horse] look like something straight out of a video game. On the plus side - I found it comical and it added humor to a scene haha. Another thing to note that slightly bothered me - she's stuck in the past for many years: but none of them seem to age. It's not until it's almost over that they look slightly different. Because of those things I can't give this drama a full !O. I almost gave it an 8 but it's such a great story, the ending.... get some tissues ready!
Another thing - you don't have to know anything about the Qing Dynasty to follow along with this story. In a way I think it might be better if you don't. I didn't and it left surprises for me when I found out what would happen to the characters.
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Everytime "Stressman" came on, it was usally to a dramatic classical tune called "Dance of the knights." In the UK, that song is also used as the theme for The Apprentice. Now Stressmen (and his ennunciation) is one of the funniest things about Nodame. So whenever he talked, or the music came on, I kept picturing Sir Alan Sugar (UK's version of Donald Trump) in Stressman's place. Because they're both old and grey see :) And ROFLing like crazy!
Hiroshi Tamaki was another big factor. He looks like the no-nonense type of guy, used to the more exclusive part of life. So whenever he stepped out the "norm" (quite a lot) by pulling exagerated facial expressions, I just loved it! He's amazing at rolling his eyes back ftw
Also Hiroshi's character is unable to leave Japan for the majority of the series, because of a childhood fear of planes. The one he was flying on as a kid took an emergency landing, and it traumatised him for life. The flashback (same one everytime) is pretty hilarious, and the reason is too...until you realize that plane ride has a more significant meaning to him than an emergency landing later on.
Nodame is pretty crazy too. Hands down, she's the craziest. But I'm glad in all that crazy, she doesn't become a magnetic leech so many female leads are demoted to these days. Ok...so she does follow him around a fair bit...but she's not afraid to part ways from him either
*winkwink*
A scene at the very end is soooo cute! I'm not telling you which one it is (you'll know when you come to it) and I replayed it twice.
On the whole I would recommend watching it, if you like crazy/slapstick humour. I, myself, only reached the end because the internet had so many glowing reviews about it. But I don't regret watching it! And I'm now in a position to go and watch the 2 sequels and know the entire back story :) For what it's worth- the movies come even more highly recommended!
Watch it for Hiroshi. Watch it for Stressman. And just for plain silliness :)
OH...and how could I forget the 10/10 music? Seriously. Like the other guys said...it opens up your eyes/ears to classical music and appreciate it in a whole other dimension. And I rarely mark music 10/10!
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When it comes to the story that took place within the drama, I enjoyed it. Personally I would have love to see all the guys in California instead, I think that would have been much more hilarious and a better storyline to tell. As to the rest of the special which took place after the end of the drama, I couldn't help crying, especially during the graduation. It was truly a nicely and touching moment for everyone and really showed the friendship everyone had formed. A friendship that I feel will never be broken.
Overall I think that this special was a nice little cherry on top of the cake that was the Hana Kimi drama.
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So, it started really good, and then it got tired and in the end it just sucked. The characters aren't well written so it's like hearing them say the same thing over and over again. You never really get to know them. It doesn't have good secondary characters either. Her friend, Hyung Sung is really stalker, and I got the creeps watching him, he didn't make me feel anything, just annoyance. The female lead isn't likeable, as opposed to Mu Cheng in AC. Here you don't feel sorry for her situation, you just get tired of her not sticking up for herself. The male lead is really just cheesy, you don't sense any real feelings. And the story has like really huge holes, and in other parts it just keeps repeating.
One of the main reasons I started to watch this drama was because of Jo Hyun Jae, I just simply loved him in 49 days and I thought he was a really good actor. But here, I don't know if it's because he was just starting his career or because the script wasn't really good but he just came out flat. Han Chae Young, who is really famous for her role on Delightful Girl Choong Hyan, really didn't stand out here, she didn't make me feel anything. As for the other two who completed the love square, they were just creepy.
The music wasn't anything special, although it did fit the scenes. I specially liked one which was like the intro to Aerosmith's "I don't wanna miss a thing."
In rewatch value, I wouldn't ever watch it again, specially because I got really bored at the end and just pressed fast forward in the tiring scenes.
Overall, it really isn't a good drama, although if you like soap operas, you probably will like this.
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I recommend this drama to anyone who is looking for something different. There isn't anything supernatural, there aren't any ikemen or suspense, but it draws you into the hearts and minds of the characters. It perfectly communicates the loneliness that can sometimes find you when you live in a big city.
If only I could find a Midnight Cafe here....hehe.
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