Reviews

And the tears flowed.

Kim Soo Hyun, never disappoints me. He is an Adonis of K-Drama's. I think he is often underrated. Queen of Tears is IMO a mellow dramatic rom-com. It takes a dive into the rich and selfish world of the upper elite in marriage. The ML from an average rural family in the countryside is in a miserable marriage to a rich third-generation heiress. The FL rich and cold follows the footsteps of what is expected of the upper elite amidst some past trauma.

The casting is done well with plenty of eye candy which I love. Kim Soo Hyun delivers a stellar performance. He was funny, adoring, sexy, and dramatic. Kim Ji Won, was a surprise for me in that she has really grown into a beautiful woman over the years. Her acting has improved. I could not get into her before "Arthdal Chronicles". Her part was captivating and believable. I liked this part for her. I felt there was chemistry but it was not developed as it should have been. Even though there were plenty of moments for the couple the director did not do enough with the romance, and it felt a little elementary at times. There should have been more adult romantic moments would have been better. There were plenty of side couples which did not hurt the film.
It is not a perfect film in that there are some filler scenes that only took up space and could have been edited better or deleted for more romance.

The acting overall was good. The soundtrack was good. The production was good with a great wardrobe.

If you like a good rom-com this is a good watch. Many parts will hold your interest.

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A complex romance that delves into reality and yet is quite accepted.

I quite liked the story of a more experienced actor supporting a newbie to the industry and yet the rehearsal is full of passion and love it becomes reality.
Their movie they created was the highlight as real issues came to play but no one realised so was an unique confrontation as the wife stated "you ruined your own life."

What I didn't enjoy was when the wife wad emasculated him all because of his actions that she saw, I felt she could've been more open and have an adult conversation about what they wanted.

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This was a quick and good series yet…

The series don’t beat around the bush for sure lol. they straight up started into the plot !
Btw I’m really pissed off right now because this is the fourth freaking time I’m starting over this review cuz MDL keeps losing track of what I wrote ugh.

SO. It was a super cute and quick series to watch.

The music were on point ! The casting is good as well !
I loved blondie (btw am I the only one who thinks that he looks like haechan ?) because without him, these two would have been at the same point rn !
Mikoto is such a good character as well ! She is so carrying and thoughtful to her brother. You can clearly see they grew up relying on each other!
Then kakeru’s first kinda crush (the girl) is so genuinely kind and nice ! She and mikoto really deserve the world !

Kakeru’s other friends deserve also a shoutout because of how supportive and open-minded they were !

Tbh I would have liked to see their reactions as well as the boys’ parents after the announcement of them dating.

Then a few things that really made me drop the ratings of the series would be :
- The acting
I might be harsh on this but for the two ML’s actors I really felt sometimes that they were doing too much. They were being too dramatic especially kakeru, always falling. Like I obviously know there are really clumsy people in the world and that’s not a problem ofc but here it was way too unrealistic…
- The series was going back and forth at the end. I felt like writers were just trying to make the series longer sometimes. For example (between all those I could have quoted here ngl) the fact kakeru said he was confused about his feelings for his best friend and more likely his crush at that point (I totally understand don’t get me wrong !) then proceeded to say he ´liked him’ right after had me. Or when he kept asking Ohara about his feelings for him eventhough he confirmed him like a thousand of times. But for that one, I know he was being really insecure due to ohara’s popularity among girls and feeling not at his level but still…
-THEN. The worst thing was ohara’s character sometimes at the end! Like he tried a few times to kiss kakeru without taking in count he was litteraly staying repeatedly ´No.’ or ´stop’ or ´wait ´. Like where the consent have been boy ?? ?
The first time he might have apologized but it doesn’t take away the fact he did it one or two times a little longer after…??

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"I became a gangster because of a chicken leg"

Director Doze Niu set Monga in the 1980’s replete with terrible hairstyles and requisite Air Supply music. The five boys of the Gang of Princes had enough daddy issues to ask for a group rate at their local therapist’s office. The boys also dealt with the daily violence on the streets, betrayals, death, and unrequited love.

Mosquito’s father died after he was born and he’s been bullied everywhere he and his mother have lived. The bullying begins again at his new school over the chicken leg in his lunch. After school, Dog Boy and his crew jump Mosquito but the new kid acquits himself well and the real power gang led by Dragon Lee and Monk take notice and take Mosquito under their wing. While Dragon Lee is the leader due to his dad’s gang status, Monk, his second in command, provides the muscle and the brains. The boys become sworn brothers and spend more time together hanging out than in school. Life can be precarious on the streets as the brotherhood find out after a deadly mistake has repercussions, a secret touches the wrong ears, and a new player comes to town unafraid to shake up the old way of doing business.

Triads, gangs, and boys’ gangs have all been done. Doze put his own Taiwanese flair on Monga. The crowded, brightly lit streets deserved their own screen credits. The scenes were as loud and chaotic as the story. While there were plenty of fights, they often came across more balletic, especially with the soothing music playing in the background and slow-motion shots. Monk and Mosquito were the focus of the main plot and subplots. Monk’s feelings for Dragon Lee ran far deeper than brotherhood. He protected Dragon Lee from his own worst inclinations and took the punishment for his actions from Dragon’s gang boss dad. Monk also had his own aspirations and deeply held resentments. Mosquito was the innocent one of the crew. He was looking for family, for brothers, for connection---for a father. Much of the narration was told through his naïve eyes. Perhaps to bring a feminine element into the film or to give Mosquito a soft shoulder to lie on, Ning, a prostitute was introduced. Around the same age, the two fell into a tender friendship, limited by her contract at the brothel. Doze played the Mainland triad leader determined to take over Monga and who also had a connection to Mosquito and his mom.

Mark Chao in his film debut provided the character who could show horror and fear when called upon for the audience. At times a little stiff, but overall, a good first film performance. Ethan Juan was both mesmerizing and terrifying as Monk. With good reason he won the Golden Horse Award for Best Leading Actor for his primal portrayal of the young gangster. Rhydian Vaughan didn’t have as much to do, although he was saddled with the worst mullet outside of a redneck truck stop in 1980’s Texas. The veteran cast gave the proper gravitas to the criminal adults in the room.

The first half of the frenetic movie was all about bonding and hanging out, and navigating the different groups and their territories. When there was no turning back, the shift in tone was cataclysmic and there was no denying that blood would be shed, and vows would be broken. When war came to Monga, no one was ready for the consequences, not even those who thought they were above it. Blood would flow like cherry blossoms.

10 May 2024

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Boring repetitions, never-dying Lu Ge

When I started watching the series, I said I was watching a very good series and I continued to watch it with pleasure. However, gradually there were declines in the plot and great conflicts in roles. A lot of nonsense ensued. Especially the chaos of the last chapters confused us a lot. It was a series that started well but showed a great decline in its beauty towards the end. The story was cute. I've watched a few similar TV series. There was even a series exactly like it, but I can't remember its name now.
The staff, in particular, was solid. A very good leading team has been formed. Much better things could have been done with these players. But unfortunately, they ruined these players at the end of the story. I was especially blown away by Xu Lu, who played with a sour face throughout. This actor is like this in all his series. I don't know what to say, whether to say the same sad face or a sour face. I'm amazed at how she smiles and looks beautiful with this face of hers. I have no words for his acting, but with that face I wish he hadn't acted. I loved the other actors. I passed on the leading roles, the supporting roles were also good. It was a good team. I congratulate the cast and director. However, a deficiency in the story, perhaps a deficiency in the scripting, a deficiency in the tying at the end, or the confusion undermined the watchability of the series, its rating, and the question of whether I would watch it again or recommend it.

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If only the story was a little better ....

Actors were good characters were lost ...

Story started good with 'avenge the father death' plot so I was expecting the FL to have be smart,strong and independent person .. she even took a strong decision of changing her appearance ..but as the story flows I can't help but question how someone so stupid as her can become a doctor. Her character was slow ,boring and irritating like she believes every crap she is been told by absolutely anyone and even after committing grave mistake like stabbing a person she walks around shamelessly ... No regret whatsoever .. futher stabbed him second time for the same confusion without being bother to clarify the theory ... Though stupid characters add dimension to a story but seriously this stupid ..???

Adding to the glory of FL ML was equally annoying ..he is living in a delulu that he can save the world by his silence. He has this intention off giving away every useless crap but any important information ..

But as dramas are purely fictitious we cant think of relating them to logic . I mean it takes away the fun ..

Story could have been better as it moves slow and few things (like what her father's imperial army was like ) remained a bit loose and confusing

Worth watching ?? Yes ... For one time why not ???

Worth Repeat watching ... Aahhhh !!! Nope ?

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In two timelines: how to find that something less common in life ?

Two timelines run at the same time. In the third episode, when the female lead gets on the bus, the second timeline begins. In the first line the story continues with her in the small town, continuing her interaction with her childhood sweetheart: Yu Jian. In the second timeline, it's Xia Guo who didn't give up on going to Shanghai and now she will have another story with another man in her life, her boss: Xue Yu Ming.
The two male protagonists (Yu Jian and Xue Ming) have completely different profiles. But, the one who has the most screen time is Yu Jian (Liu Xue Yi) who crosses both timelines, and will have to make choices in both timelines.
What will be most extraordinary about Xia Guo's choice that we will know at the end of the drama? The choice she makes in each timeline is to get to know that something more extraordinary, less ordinary in life.
________‾_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Observation:

I think the third boyfriend in the story won't be as important in the plot. The two men in her life: Yu Jian and boss Xue Yu Ming. (but there are two stories happening at the same time).The First Xia Guo chooses to stay in the small city and continue her love story with Yu Jian. The other Xia Guo gets on the bus and chooses to go to the big city and gets a great job. And at a certain point she gives up on Yu Jian completely and starts a love story with boss Xue Yu Ming.
What I want to say is: some say that the male lead is Xue Yu Ming. But in reality it's as if there were two male leads (who win the heroine) each in a different timeline. These male leads (Yu Jian and Xue Yiu Ming) are completely different, they are like water and wine. So: whoever prefers the charming boss, says that the male lead is Xue Yu Ming. Those who prefer the naive, honest and loyal male lead, attached to their family and their dreams of starting a family and never giving up on taking care of their parents, those who prefer this profile more (will say: Yu Jian is the male lead).
However: what happens is that the one who has the most screen time is Yu Jian. He crosses both timelines, he will have in both timelines also make diametrically opposite choices.
But in practice: There are two dramas in one drama, with their respective heroes. But they are two distinct genres of drama (forming a single TV show).

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Poor dialogue delivery ,poor direction and poor acting

The drama had a promising storyline but failed to execute it properly.

Both the dialogues and direction fell short of expectations.

One scene raised confusion when the female lead mentioned her increased stomach girth due to pregnancy, indicating she was pregnant during their marriage but hadn't yet delivered the baby. However, after a six-year leap in the story, she should have had the baby with her, not with the father. Later, in a flashback scene upon their reunion, she was shown delivering the baby in the hospital before their marriage. This inconsistency was confusing for the audience.

Moreover, the emotional portrayal was lacking. Whenever she saw her baby, there was no visible expression of the immense emotions a mother would feel after being separated from her child for six years.

Overall, the acting was poor, but one aspect I enjoyed was the chemistry between their friends p.

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Feel good fluff with good music

It’s a very sweet, innocent story line. There are no bad guys, no devastating life events. It shows a lot of the cute awkwardness that comes with a first crush. (Though he was almost 30 and should have been past that by then.) There’s barely even any drinking. It follows the relationships with the backdrop of a LOT of good music. They are musicians and voice actors, so they worked some amazing performances into the story. I found myself getting caught up in those.
In any good romance, the side kicks are key, and these did not disappoint. Hou Wen Yuan and Huang Jing Xian were my favorites. The actors did great, and the characters were adorable. Mumu is an unsung hero. I hope to see a lot more of them both.
And, of course, they traveled in the show so there was some really cool scenery.
The down side: The story itself moved too slow. After almost 6 months of dating, she still ran away when he tried to kiss her. And she never really grew up. It was even more evident in the last episode that she was mentally just a child. While he was cooking for her, planning trips, rescuing her when she was afraid… she just sort of stared at him and smiled stupidly. She didn’t bring much to the table and it seemed a very unbalanced relationship. She was talented, but not much for dating material. That got to be annoying.
Overall, it was cute and mostly entertaining. The last episodes got a bit long and weird but not awful. If you’re up for something light and happy, this is a solid choice.

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Original and Unique Yet Familiar

The story within this show is most definitely an original script, however, there are a lot of similarities in the show to other shows I've seen before; in a "read between the lines" sort of way, though. It also felt a little familiar to the American show "Criminal Minds", which made me curious if maybe this was an attempted remake or an attempt to "open the door" for a show remake.

Let me restate/re-word the above: this story is definitely an original story, however, the "feeling" and/or the "atmosphere" this show has is familiar. Which makes me wonder if it's the script, if it's myself comparing this story to other story's, if it's some members of the cast (since I've seen them in other criminal/detective shows), or if the creator/creators wanted it to be familiar in a way. In saying all of that, though, I'm not trying to say "do not watch this show"; on the contrary!

The hard work of everyone involved in this show is almost tangible through the screen; watching each case unfold made me want to continue from one episode to the next as soon as possible! While some parts of the episodes are cliche and a little confusing, each episode is clarified towards the episode's end and each episode creates a piece of the puzzle that fits so perfectly together, I was holding my breath while on the edge of my seat.

While some episodes are truly scary, not all of the episodes are, and not all of the episodes are too scary to watch. I have to admit that I did want to watch this story because of a few interesting sentences in the synopsis, though the cast really gave me the extra "push" to continue the show. I wasn't expecting so many popular and famous stars, watching their skill and talents in action really made each episode exciting.

I don't know why only Kitagawa Keiko was set as the "main character" in the listing here on MDL, because after watching the show in its entirety it truly felt like each person had their "five minutes of fame" in the spotlight... Or "limelight" as it were.


If you like thrilling, suspenseful, rollercoaster dramas, or if you're a fan of any actor in this show, then give this show a try!

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This movie was so surreal... and wacky lol

Ngl I seriously didn't know what I was expecting lol I thought the plot would be simple but lol there so much twist... also wtf that cliffhanger ending?

To be fair... the initial plot seemed promising but since there's too many wild attempts to capture Hana by every single opposing party that seemed to have gone mad, it felt like the punchline never arrive. Just when you thought there would be a happy outcome once Carter completed his mission, there goes the cliffhanger end that make us question whether or not Jung and Carter's family survived...

But seriously though, the movie did do well in portraying a world where people go mad after having a portion of the population got infected with a crazy virus, with one side fights to find a cure and another plots to take advantage of the virus for their own benefit. It's kinda like Busan but not really because the 'zombies' in Carter wasn't quite like the usual undead zombies once infected and it's possible to get cured if you managed to get the vaccine administered quick enough. But dangit... those 'zombies' can use guns and stuff lol, and instead of eating people they just mindlessly attack people. Still, since those infectees are still quite alive, they're not as scary as the usual undead ones and can be shot down if worse wome to worst and they'll stay dead.

Gotta say that the cinematography and cameraworks in this movie was pretty wild it felt like watching a continuous RE gameplay and can get pretty disorienting at times. The stunt work was crazy too and while there's a lot of CGI action being mixed in as well, at times you really can't tell which was which. Smh I wonder if the initial nude scenes at the opening part was really necessary because as much as I wanted to enjoy the action... the nudity was just...uncomfortable. Kinda like the fanservice fight in K-1. Oh yeah... the gore scenes were crazy too.

Not really fond of some of the choices of background tracks esp the ones that had lots of cymbals and brass instruments that always made me think of scenes involving shamans and stuff like why?

Not really sure what to think of this movie. Like on one end whoa... Joo Won doing more action unlike what he's done before! Yet the plot din seem to have a proper conclusion and poor Hana to kept being tossed around just because she was the human cure for the virus and ppl are losing their minds to 'own' her.

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A-

This is a very decent Chinese romance drama. Overall it's quite similar to You Are My Glory, but it has more comedy & the setting is different. (entertainment industry vs. corporate environment in this one) Janice Wu is always 10/10 in romcoms & this paring's been quite fantastic. Also I like "faceslaps" in Chinese fiction & this drama has plenty of that.
One big positive in this drama is that the high school flashbacks are quite well done. There are not overly many of them & have proper child actors, which is always nice to see.

So why is it only an 8?

Well, for starters the final 4-5 episodes were quite difficult to get through. The crises were not too serious or anything, but the whole "company's in dire straits" thing was really unfun to watch & then a rocket had been launched & we got fed an incredible amount of Chinese propaganda stuff before the ending credits.

There is also the matter of ML's younger brother. To me it feels like the writer thought the leads are ready to get married, so let's fix the ML's "big problem" before then, I'm quite disappointed with this, the kid was comedy gold, would have much rather watched him bicker with FL, over whatever corporate shenanigans that went down.

Also I really disliked most of the songs. Mainland Chinese rock that gets to be on TV almost always sounds really weird to me, but this drama has been perhaps the worst offender so far.

Oh I almost forgot, the drama is full of insane product placements.

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Love to hate relationship

This is a show, I can say I have a "hate-love relationship", hate and trash the characters but love the story?

The characters have lowkey trash mindset on certain topics, but that's precisely what sets this show apart—they're raw and real, unlike the typical sugar-coated leads.

This reminds me of lakorns, except without the constant screaming ? The show is wild, prejudiced, biased, sexist, misogynistic, and what not, but it does provide a somewhat realistic portrayal of human behavior. Specifically, it acknowledges that people with such attitudes exist, both among men and women.

My favorite part was FL's character; she was independent, hardworking, and had a great deal of self-respect for herself. Although I didn't always agree with ML's opinions, he still had endearing qualities, and I appreciated his character growth by the end of the show.

This is the NOT a type of show where you hear comments like "Oh, ML is such a nice person," or "He does so much for her," or "I want someone like him." Instead, it's about learning how people typically behave in the real world and not glorifying or romanticizing it, but rather calling it out for what it is.

Overall, one should watch it for the plot not characters because I was amazed by how non-cliché it was; it unfolded in ways I never expected. The characters do have problematic mindsets, but as I mentioned, it's reflective of how many people are out there. And the ending was satisfying!

Thank you for reading my review^^
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