Reviews

Great! until it isn't?

I really liked this show! Episodes 1-7 are basically perfect!

At the halfway point things start to take a dip? I felt that the establish patterns of certain bus passengers were being disregarded in favor of a more dramatic presentation?

Earlier in the story our main characters are held down by the other bus passengers for attempting to leave the bus... but when the culprit is revealed and pulls a knife on the main characters all the passengers including FOUR men all stand by and watch the FL get her throat slashed AFTER STABBING ANOTHER GUY??? Not once but twice?

The main leads have to scream for help to get other people into action... even though they were happy to inconvenience the leads earlier...

I also disliked the stupidity of Mengmeng's ? death? Why would the bus stop there? why didn't she look both ways before stepping onto a busy highway? The driver doesn't have mirrors so he could see and be like "watch out!"??? and the lack of urgency towards the end?

The ML is visibly suffering after every loop after the halfway point.... The FL disreguards him and keeps pushing him.... Lady he's bleeding from the nose... yall can't take a break for one loop so the man can relax? And not be burned to death, stabbed or be chased by the cops?

Not to mention the hot potato with the bomb near the end? Eveyone was just taking their sweet time telling the truth to each other.... I know its a DRAMA... but damn.

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BAD + Crazy

The big twist is that this is not a supernatural drama about possession, but rather a thriller involving DID.

I have to applaud this drama for being better than Killme/Healme or Hyde, Jekyll, Me in its depiction of what kind of traumatic even triggers DID.

That's the good stuff.

K functions like a ghost... I've rarely heard of DID patients being able to see and interact with their alters... It was hard to believe... shoulda just made him a ghost...

There are investigation portions to the story but they all take too long... Some things that could be resolved in 2 eps are stretched out across 4 total sometimes. The drama reeks of weekly writing because the relevant plot that you've been following will be dropped in favor of something new...

I'm not sure if this story was planned out but its bad enough that it FEEL like the writers were making shit up as they went.

ACTION was great! I actually adore K!

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It made me angry.

The leads enter into a marriage contract, but I was not a fan of how condescending the ML was towards the FL. Unlike most people I didn't have an issue with him liking another woman at the start. I only hated how he treated the FL like she was stupid right from the start.

Then I started to agree with him.

FL causes so many problems for the people around her... but you're still meant to like her because she tries to make up for it... Over the course of the drama most of her issues are caused by her trying to go above and beyond to please the ML or his family but she just ends up cause grief instead.

Then she sulks... she's like "I know I messed up again, but he shouldn't brush me off." Honey... I'd do the same thing.

I hate the fact that she falls for him first for the most superficial reasons.... Complaining that she's being mistreated by the guy but you're getting hurt and jealous within 3 episodes? Please.

Also the misunderstanding at the end was dumb.

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don't listen to the haters (even though they have a point)

Cheer Up is a drama that I am so glad I finished despite the negative reviews and the several setbacks. I initially dropped this mid first-episode but picked it up again out of boredom and as an attempt to get out of my kdrama-watching slump, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

STORY - 7.5/10

The main themes of Cheer Up are youth, romance and friendship. In those aspects, Cheer Up portrayed these concepts very well. Though the exposure we get to this story was not something that immediately caught my attention, the writing and the strong foundations of the relationships between characters, romantic, platonic and familial, how they developed and how the story progressed definitely kept my attention. The mystery aspect was interesting, and I liked how they tried to make it as unpredictable as possible – they would pin obvious suspects that would make us think certain characters were the culprit, when in fact all of them were wrong. There were plenty of twists and turns that, unlike a lot of other mystery plotlines in other romance dramas, felt like they were planned from the beginning, and I enjoyed how everything started to tie in together perfectly.

I enjoyed the main romance and how it developed. It felt so natural to me, in all of its mess and constant turns, in Haeyi’s constant confusion and Jungwoo’s reluctance. And I love, love the dialogue towards the end where Jungwoo tells Haeyi that she shouldn’t suffer alone. “Two is better than one.” It really defined the way I perceive their love for each other; the kind that perseveres, the kind that heals, and most importantly, the kind that holds your hand through even and especially the most difficult of days.

The friendship and the found family dynamic formed within Theia was something that also really stuck with me. I love found family dynamics – in fact, it’s a running theme in almost all my favourite media – and the one formed here definitely did not disappoint. I loved that they didn’t just focus on the romance and also placed importance on the friendships and comradery between the characters. It was extremely heartwarming as well as necessary for us, the viewers, to get a full scope of how much they’ve grown closer as a team.

I loved the ending. It was so beautifully done, and it definitely touched my heart. I loved the side couples, even though it funnily enough felt like a case of “pairing the spares”, I love that they at least built up enough chemistry to make me root for them. My favourite side couple had to be Minjae (who I felt was let off the hook too easily for what he did, but it is what it is) and Sunja. They were so cute, and I wish they had more screen time to fully delve into their development as a pairing. Also, am I the only one who caught the nicknames they gave each other? Sun and Min-min? They’re adorable.

Now, my main issue with the drama’s storyline is something everyone else has been complaining about. And that, you guessed it, is the love triangle. I don’t particularly care for love triangles anymore, but this one really took the cake. In fact, the love triangle was the very thing that made it difficult for me to continue, especially when Junho was at his worst. Let it be known that I did NOT like Junho, though he is definitely an interesting and complex character, just like the FL and ML, and has room to mature. He had no awareness of boundaries, even when Haeyi rejected him properly and indirectly countless times. Since the beginning, he was only chasing after her relentlessly because he couldn’t get over the fact that she was the only girl he couldn’t win over – then after the rejections, the fact that she lay out her baggage and the reasons she couldn’t like him back, he falls even more in love with her. It’s insane, and it ruined a drama I would’ve rated even higher if not for the frustrating dynamic he added onto the show.

Alongside this, there were a lot of plot holes in the mystery part of the story that I didn’t quite understand. A lot of things either didn’t add up or weren’t properly explained, when I wish they were. However, they weren’t bad enough to ultimately deter my experience watching this show further than it already had.

Overall, I feel like the strength of Cheer Up were its characters. Which makes sense, as once again, it ties in with the core themes of the show.

ACTING/CAST - 9/10

Han Jihyun and Bae Inhyuk absolutely pulled off their respective roles. The last I saw of Inhyuk was in My Roommate is a Gumiho, where he played a second male lead eerily similar (and just as annoying) as Sunho. However, I loved how he allowed a character like Jungwoo (who seldom allowed himself emotion) an ample amount of complexity to understand who he was as a person. In fact, I think if it weren’t for how well he played Jungwoo, he wouldn’t have become one of my favorite MLs in kdramas yet.

As for Han Jihyun, her acting was 100% my favorite out of all the other characters in the show, perhaps mainly because of her role as the protagonist. I love how diverse she can be in her facial expressions, and played the role of Haeyi perfectly.

I have nothing to say for the rest of the cast, as they all pulled it off perfectly. I hope Kim Hyunjin goes through the rite of passage and gets casted as a good ML just like Bae Inhyuk did, LOL. He acted very well.

MUSIC - 8/10

Most songs, mainly the cheer songs, are iconic and memorable, considering music is one of the integral aspects to what they do as a cheer squad. ‘Higher’ is still stuck in my head.

REWATCH VALUE - 6/10

I’m going to be honest, the love triangle focused episodes were already a struggle to get through. I felt like punching the screen because of how much the stupidity bothered me. Definitely wouldn’t want to go through that again, but I would love to relive the cute Jungwoo and Haeyi scenes again.

OVERALL - 8.5/10

A drama that was worth it all despite its imperfections. Definitely for people who’re looking for something to get invested in, both in a good and a bad way.

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A Must-Watch Masterpiece

I know it's late to add reviews, but I have forgotten to share my thoughts while "Alchemy of Soles" Season 2 was airing from December to January. After re-watching it, I can confidently say that "Alchemy of Soles" Season 2 is an absolute masterpiece and a must-watch. I've already completed it nine times, and there's something about it that keeps drawing me back in. It's interesting how I always find myself starting with Season 2 before moving on to Season 1, a pattern I've even followed with "Dr. Romantic." This series truly has a magnetic pull, and I can't wait to watch it again.

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Well thought-through drama, maturing is realizing your own mistakes and owe up to them.

A drama to never forget. The low rewatch value is not something to be negative about as its an unique drama! Its definitely engraved in my mind as these sort of disabilities dramas are rare and creating awareness through this type of content is definitely appreciated

Although the storyline aligned with my predictions, it was still a pleasure to watch how the relationships between characters developed; and as it’s a Japanese dramas, everything is dealt with maturity.

The title Silent fits this drama perfectly; the director(s) somehow managed to ‘’fill’’ the screen with sound although its supposed to be silent in a real life scenario.

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Fun, energetic, tense. And despite itself, the show somehow succeeds.

The plot isn't the deal. The deal is the acting and the pulpable tension. So, our hero Bong Sang Pil is an outgoing, fun-loving, secretly revenge-seeking (or maybe that's not so secret?) and a Batman level martial artist lawyer. After receiving a notebook full of incriminating details, he's back to his hometown Kisung from Seoul after 18 years, to tie some loose ends and finally meet the girl he was stalking for all these years?. I think I've established that I'm not a fan of the plot which kept unwinding in an incrementally poor way as the series went on. So many of the actions of so many characters don't make sense and can be put to questions that you have to turn a blind eye to those plot aspects. Which is why I won't go towards that route.
Instead, lets talk about the things I found absolutely unforgivable.
1. Lee Joon Gi is an amazing actor and I'm here partially for him and if he came off as anything close to cool, cute or even redeemable that's only because he's freaking good at his job; the script didn't help him at all. His character is this mix of two opposite spectrums, a flashy, quirky, charming guy and also a tortured, deeply vengeful and intensely driven man who was internally grooming himself for 18 years for revenge. Yet somehow his dialogues are the least powerful. There's no fun, punch or riveting sensation in the words he utters, especially later in the show. Joon Gi is still very good and he nails the 'fooling around charming guy ritual' and comes off as both cute and crazy at the same time but as the lead, he needed all the help from the script.
2. The romance needed work. Ha Jae Yi is a strong woman, understanding and smart too, but with attorney Bong her attitude needed to be established with care. Does she understand him better? Sees some parts of him others don't? Does she feel the same drive for a similar kind of revenge? We didn't get that. Their brief 'alone moments' had impact but they had no buildup and so felt out-of-place at times and ultimately did not amount to much. It was a little sad because I felt they could do better with more time or a better script.
3. The employees at the law firm: to be honest I'm not sure why they were needed. As the series progressed, they started to appear more to nibble at my brain?. Most of the romance was hijacked because they kept interrupting, and they are so absolutely unfunny that it's awful on a new level.
4. The dialogues: God did they need a complete makeover! Both our leads suffer because of it and at times the entire story.
All these complaints, but I still loved this show. Rated it 8 when the average suggested 7.5. Why?
1. Ahn Oh Joo played by Choi Min Soo. This dude knocked it out of the park. He got better every episode. He had amazing chemistry with both Bong Sang Pil and Cha Moon Sook. Just when I thought his face-off with Judge Cha would be the thing to look forward to, he had that fun battle alongside Sang Pil, he was like those fun Marvel villains that you end up rooting for, but this is a guy who doesn't flinch from killing a kid. He was so tremendously good at being larger than life with his attitude, outlaw swag, cool stares, quirky noises and believe it or not, fitting dialogues that he's literally my highlight of this show. The MVP without a doubt.
2. The music: I liked the music for the tense scenes. They conveyed more than the crappy dialogues. There was tension, loss, grief, haziness from the end of a long-running game in the tunes. Especially towards the final episodes I appreciated the music.
3. Suk Kwan Dong. I didn't give much credit to the guy at first, but man did he deliver! He was funnier than that 'gag reel group' and yet had a weight to him. I couldn't believe it when his character ended up being the best the show offered. His character had real growth marked by a very real end. And the actor, Choi Dae Hoon - I've seen him in Flower of Evil where he plays a completely different role - I'd say he's pretty phenomenal.
4. With all the bad af writing the show still somehow brings up a sense of giddy excitement that have you at the edge of your seat until the end. I read somewhere that the ending was hasty, but it wasn't. I liked how the plot stretched to the very end. On the reflective side of the good guys this show was miserable, so I was glad they did not focus on that.
All in all, a fun ride. Lee Joon Gi, Choi Min Soo and to some degree Lee Hye Young are the real heart of this show, at their best they show what this drama could have been, and I was sort of content with that.

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So,about MIU 404...

...this drama might be the FIRST one to finally capture the true essence of what BUDDY COP trope means. So let`s talk about it.

First of all,I like to start every review of mine by thanking everyone involved in the making of this drama. As an aspiring writer,I`m well aware of exertions one must undergo in every production. Therefore,thank you,actors,producers,writers and the rest of the staff people do not usually mention,for giving us such a great project.

With that out of the way,shall we dive into what sets `MIU 404` apart from many dramas whose backbone lies in unity between the characters? I`ll be the first one to say,I didn`t have high expectations for this drama. Although I generally prefer Japanese dramas over dramas from other countries(though hypocritically two of my absolute favorite dramas are from South Korea,alas),that cover really didn`t inspire much. To be completely honest,I was so put off by this drama`s cover,I had to set it aside for MONTHS. Despite the fact Gen Hoshino(of `Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu` fame,amongst MANY other projects and ventures) was in this,I still had to think about whether to give this a try or not just because of that damn poster. But,only 48 hours after I started this journey,I`m here to say it was WELL worth it. Because,what a great drama this was. Seriously.

In my circle of friends,I`m known as an S class,thorough SCEPTIC. And that title is not for naught. Because I`ve written,seen and read so much,there aren`t a lot of projects,especially referring to dramas,that can really move me nowadays. I`ll find good,even great dramas. And whilst I can recognize their objective value to the medium as it is,many of them fail to move me in any significant manner. I am happy to report `MIU 404` is not one of those dramas. This one has a quality that is rarely seen today. And that `something` cannot be explained rationally for it`s something based on an completely irrational concept: soul. The type of chemistry this drama sports is often tried,yet rarely executed well. Even though the premise is quite so simple.

Two members of unit `MIU 404`,department of Metropolitan Tokyo police force,Ibuki Ai(a rough around the edges outlier whose seemingly only redeeming quality is his running ability) and Shima Kazumi(your good to Ibaki`s bad cop trope if you will) are grouped together,hoping to make a difference in the world...by running after high school pranksters,finding a little girl`s toy,uncovering a body covered in cat`s litter and the like. You know,the usually stuff. Yeah,this drama couldn`t`ve been made by any other country than Japan.

On paper,this is a true and tried formula Hollywood in particular,does good with. Get a character who wants to do good,by the book deeds,and one who`s so volatile and funny,together. Boom,magic. However,the way they went about showing this unlikely friendship form is so understated,yet easy,that I can`t,for the life of me,understand why some dramas INSIST on making everything so complicated. On Captain Kikyo`s orders,this odd pair is shoved in a melon bread van(figuratively of course...) and sent on their way to catch the baddies of Tokyo`s society. What we get,in reality,are two completely different people with the same goal clashing,discussing,philosophising and talking over each other,with everything being filmed in an almost documentary type of style. It is GREAT. It is quite exhilarating seeing one of my favorite types of characterization explored in a buddy cop drama. This is,quite probably,one of the quickest ways you,as a writer,can employ,to get me to care about your characters. People like to rave about D.P. and the like(which,there is a lot to like there,no doubt),but the first buddy cop drama duo that really got me to care was this one. I can genuinely see these actors as their characters,which should attest to the level of pretty much everyone here. Which brings me to my next point. Most of the performances here are so great in their heartwarming oddity. I`ve already mentioned Ibuki,Shima,Kikyo,but Jinba and Kokonoe also have my heart. In fact,the whole MIU 404 gang has it. Even Kuzumi(though his is a character that holds my biggest critique incidentally). Heck,even Shima`s previous partner Kosaka(played incredibly by Murakami Nijiro) in his brief cameo had me caring. One thing you`ll learn quite quickly with this drama is that you`ll come to care.

Another point to its advantage is just how bingeable it is. Seeing as this drama(for the most part) relies on the `new case per episode` approach,whilst many discoveries and dramatic turns(which many dramas would MILK and make it as overly dramatic as they could) happen in the background,it is quite understandable why I mention this. You`d be able to watch one episode of this drama per week,and due to it having such memorable characters,I`d wager you`d still remember what is crucial. I won`t reveal much about our antagonist,but just know,he`s charismatic,dramatic,takes over your screen entirely and played with such ease by none other than our veteran at this point,Masakik Suda. Yes,I was pleasantly surprised too,don`t worry.

Subsequently,the comedy used for many of the scenes is, drumroll please...ACTUALLY FUNNY. And NOT readily based on slapstick. The laughs aren`t derived from someone simply farting,or hitting a wall,or a misunderstanding. A large portion of that fun comes from Ibuki,Shima and the rest of the crew just eating udon,spewing cute burns and enjoying the banter that ensues. And it all feels so NATURAL. For example,one`d start talking seriously about something and the other(usually Ibuki with his intrusive thoughts) would join in and take it to another direction,while the first one didn`t even finish talking. Can you tell how desperate I am for another season of this yet?Huh?HUH?

This type of drama lends itself to possible great subsequent seasons,that`s all I`ll say.

The OST,as well,is understandably awesome. Penned by Kenshi Yonezu,it is expectedly JPOP-y and exhilarating at points. Even the cases themselves,being as insignificant as they are,paint a more realistic picture of police duty and,like Shima says,when topic of guns and arms came up:`Most number of cops don`t even reach for their gun in their whole entire career. I`m talking about firing one,forget about that. They don`t even REACH for one.`

After all of these accolades,I wouldn`t be myself if I didn`t mention SOME drawbacks. They mainly concern the latter batch of this show,especially the actual antagonist. Or rather,how they spliced the great tension about him with some questionable editing choices. There is a specific confrontation between him and Ibuki that is just magnificent. It`s not played up to be dramatic,but you can feel something brewing. Dialogue is pretty surface level,yet body language discerns irritability. And when it comes to a boiling point,it`s quite...underwhelmingly cut down. I won`t reveal more than this,but it does make for some immersion breaking moments I wasn`t a fan of. Some anime level immersion breaking moments.

However,whether this drama put me in a forgiving mood or there`s something else at play,is no concern of mine. What is,though,is me urging people to give this one a watch when they`re in an explorative,fun yet not one for dramatics state of mind. It`ll be worth it,I can vouch for this one. I just know it will.

Also,Hokada udon IS too soft. Only the real ones know.

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A Masterpiece to be enjoyed slowly

This drama definitely deserves a 10/10. The best drama I ever watched !
My review is a simple consideration to ensure that the rating is not lowered by the expectations of someone looking for something else.

If you're looking for a romantic drama with a couple of doves... don't watch it!
If you're looking for a basic drama to watch at double speed... don't watch it!
If you are looking for a drama with only 2 protagonists and unimportant side stories with mediocre actors who glorify the protagonists.... don't watch it!

If you are looking for a drama with a complex story that keeps you in suspense where all the actors play an important role in the unfolding of the plot without useless dialogues.... watch it!
If you're looking for a drama with incredible production, great actors, breathtaking visuals and an amazing soundtrack.... WATCH IT !!

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People are Scary

I feel like this drama is so realistic and relatable on certain aspect to most people. It tells a story of the bitter sweetness of life, it tells a story of how a women life goes from being perfect to being a living hell. At first, the 1st male lead and the 1st female lead together with their child, on the outside looked like the perfect traditional family. I mean on one side you have the female lead who graduated from a top university and is now a stay at home mom, who takes real good care of their child, and the her in laws, on the other side you have the male lead who has a good job and appears to be a good father and husband. Well that until the female lead finds of that her husband is cheating on her. Then her whole world starts falling apart.

This drama also tells a story of friendship. The female lead finds out who her husband is dating and through a series of events befriends her. They develop a strong and beautiful friendship. Together they fight the injustice of this world and the injustices brought upon them by this man. Wait, this is not the only friendship that the female lead makes. She also befriends her husband colleague Wei, who is also being cheated on by her husband. This friendship too turns out to be beneficial later on in her career.

One of the biggest themes of this dram is betrayal. The 1st female lead is betrayed by the man she trusted the most, her husband. He cheats on her multiple times, then leaves her for a younger and richer girl. He leaves her and their daughter with no money and home. He even uses their daughter as a weapon, to get his wife to agree to his divorce terms. When they are finally divorced he gets remarried. You would think he would then leave her alone, that no he comes after her carrier, and she eventually has to leave her job. Not, only that he tries multiple times to to get the 2nd female lead fired too, but he is unsuccessful. The 1st female lead is also female lead is also betrayed by her in laws. The same in laws she catered for all this years, betrayed her within a blink of an eye. Because the new bide is wealthy, they kidnap the leads daughter so she can sign the divorce papers. The 2nd female is is betrayed by the male lead, who at first keeps the fact that he is married a secret, then tries to get her fired. She is also betrayed by her later on boyfriend, who happens to be her colleague. She is also betrayed by her mother, who fails to love her over and over again. This drama shows the very scary side of humans, who they can change over night. How people say this and do the complete opposite.

All is fair in love. The female lead has a new love interest after the divorce, an old childhood friend who adores her. The second her too moves on from the male lead and her colleague, to a tech guy. So far he seems like a real deal. The male lead 2nd marriage is miserable, his in laws dont rate him and his new wife is a spoiled rat. The new wife does not get along with the rotten in laws. The 2nd female lead cuts off her mom. At the end of the day everyone gets what they deserve.

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Mini Romance

This has a bit of everything: romance, comedy, mystery, traumatising history, evil stepbrothers - everything was thrown in. It's a very light romance with a large slice of mystery.

What I liked: easy to watch, a few twists, the CEO's assistant was fun, male lead was sweet
What I didn't like: they made the female lead into the bossy stereotypical female CEO (sigh...), second female was clueless and silly, second male was a stereotypical, slightly gruff but secretly kind character (because he fell for someone!).

I don't think I would watch it again, but it was OK as a light drama where I didnt have to think much.

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Felt like my bright eyes were in the dark.

Honestly, this felt like such a waste of time. There was love, there was a “break up”, there was a build up and…nothing! This is more of a documentary than a drama. The drama is terribly flawed with hardly anything concluded. He’s a firefighter, she’s a dancer and that’s that. They connect until they don’t. Of all the firefighter dramas this year, this was is very low on my list. I really did enjoy it and was anticipating the ending but the last set of episodes that was released all in one go felt like a bucket of cold water being poured over all the “warmth” created in the former episodes. There’s very few dramas that I would say is bad but this is one of them.

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Well, something of an East-meets- Spaghetti-Western, with really good sound track and great action. Perhaps most of the similarities end there, but they are all pretty great. The specific setting and period means that the similarities are limited to what the time and place demand.
Set during the early 20thC Japanese rule of Joseon much of the action takes place in Gando, a border area claimed by both China and Joseon, with a frontier desert landscape peopled by bandits and "questionable" characters. The landscapes and towns / villages represent almost further characters in this drama, with some stunning cinematography showing its beauty and harshness.
Great costumes and styling, with attention to both Joseon and Chinese traditions all in a state of transition into the modern world. These somewhat show the complexity of these communities on the edge, all rigidly overseen by Japanese army aiming to secure full control of the people. This conflict is particularly significant because Gando is remote, logistics for the Japanes are difficult and the area is in fact a centre for the small liberation movement made up of different factions who are not aware of each other but aim for similar goals.
Japanese occupiers see native Joseon as mere animals, even where they adopt Japanese customs with loyalty to the Emperor. They routinely massacre entire villages or towns and abuse Joseon people in all the usual ways
Lee Yoon is a phenomenal gunman and fighter, and of course KNG has incredible charisma in this role. But while the man with no name was a loner, Lee Yoon is a brilliant military leader as well as moral giant, has his own struggles but is still a truly 'ideal' man, rising from slavery to genuine greatness.
Lee Yoon's former master/owner, Kwang Il, was supposedly kind, and did free his slaves. However, now a member of the Japanese army, he has fully adopted their ideas, mostly as a self serving strategy. When Lee Yoon severs his friendship/ connection to him, he resolves to have him killed, using a female assassin who as a child escaped her village's massacre and now lives only to survive.
In the meantime, Li Kwang's fiancee lives a double life.
The tensions in the area are complex, with bandits in Japanese pay, others just thieves, others fighting to undermine the Japanese, a kind of mainstream independence movement (playing a very minor role here), Japanese regular army plus Japanese colonial forces (who jostle for power), and of course 'middle class' settlers who are probably loyal to the Japanese, and peasant settlers who could be in Japanese pay, or rebel spies, or simply looking for a quiet life. But it's not very obvious who could be who.
The story is lively, with lots of locations and lots of action, including different levels of battles between factions. Of course there's a love interest, but while it's one of those soulmate passion plays, it's very low key and is left open ended.
I really enjoyed this series. It feels gritty and authentic (though the recovery times for multiple injuries is rather ... optimistic). Characters, even where support rather than main, and even where quite minor roles, are well written and well portrayed – with many familiar faces in play. I loved the visuals, and how it is presented with so many echoes of classic westerns, yet never losing its sense of place. The music is great too, and well suited to the action and mood of each moment.
I'm trying to think of flaws. But I can't, unless I nitpick really hard – for example I wasn't much into the romance moments – but the actors and performances were very believable and chemistry was good even if subdued which was dramatically appropriate.
The ending is slightly rushed and inconclusive, but since we have reason to look for S2 I thought it was OK.
Kim Nam Gil has already leaked the question of an S2 stating that if there is another series it won't be made by Netflix. I am intrigued by what happened behind the scenes to prompt that – or whether it is issues on profit shares – wouldn't be the first time.

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Naito Shuichiro Makes It Watchable

Cute premise and starts out fairly strong then becomes less interesting for a couple of reasons. You might enjoy this if you're looking for something kind of cute, awkwardly funny, light & easy, and with one really good lead actor.

The most disappointing thing for me was that the sincerity of character attraction felt one-sided by the actors. Naito Shuichiro acted in-crush then in-love so convincingly. You could see the intensity and depth of emotions in his eyes and his face was full of nuanced reactions. Compared to him, Seto Toshiki felt miscast as the main character. He did okay at the beginning with the simplicity of being in awe of his idol and nervous, but his portrayal of deeper emotions fell flat. He became more and more of a disappointment to me as the series went on. (Also his bleached-orange hair didn't suit his timid/self-conscious character and was distracting; poor judgment on someone's part.)

The story itself became more boring as it started to rely on clichés to keep it going. If it wasn't for Naito I probably would have stopped watched sometime during episode 6 (out of 8).

There were more physical interactions to build tension than there were affectionate ones after the characters fell for each other. I might not have felt the lack of physical closeness as much had Seto been able to match the affection and desire Naito showed with his eyes.

I did think the end credits were very clever as they they showed a little bit more of the background scene with every episode.

There were multiple moments of second-hand embarrassment that made me cringe and want to fast-forward, but I am fairly susceptible to that. There were a few non-cringe comedic moments too.

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