Woo Do-Hwan never fails!
Woo Do-Hwan never fails to please!My two top Korean actors right now are Woo Do Hwan and Lee Do-Hyun.
I first saw WDH in Save Me and my favourite ones out of his dramas would have to be:
My Country and Bloodhounds.
With Mr Plankton I really enjoyed it for the first 7 episodes and then I'm not sure where it quite started turning for me, but it did.
I hesitated to watch this drama because I knew the fate of his character and didn't want to go through that all again like with My Country.
With Mr Plankton the ending was sad, but not as devastatingly sad for me like what happened in My Country for some reason.
Have seen others of his dramas in full like: Save Me, Tempted and Mad Dog which I really enjoyed as well.
As for Joseon Attorney (4-6 episodes) and King Eternal Monarch (half) and didn't mind these either except maybe Joseon Attorney would probably be the least liked one out of them all. Not because of him, but rather the story itself.
King Monarch I would probably finish only he isn't the male lead.
In regards to Mr Plankton it is about the main character being diagnosed with a terminal disease (less than 3 months to live) so he goes on this personal journey to find his real father only decides to kidnap his ex girlfriend at the start just as she is about to get married with a gang on his tail out for revenge.
It has a great mix of humour, a solid story line, drama, action, a sad or bittersweet feel, romance and adventure.
The music is so so - nothing really stood out like Stay With Me (Goblin) or Butterflies (Wedding Impossible).
A major dislike for me would be the female in this as she got on my nerves with her crying - it is the worst, also, her hissy fits. I really wish I could have reached through the screen to slap her out of it. Really annoying!!! Far too many scenes for my liking and she grated me the wrong way as she sounded terrible. Couldn't stand it! Her other scenes were mostly fine - just the sobbing and hysterics were irritating. Terrible! She really did come across as being idiotic quite a bit of the time which was unfortunate - I'm not sure what he saw in her. Another minor peeve was the way she ran. Weird!
Wouldn't it be something to have a female that is mature even when annoyed yet sassy, full of spunk, charismatic and adorable even if not dropdead gorgeous. Just not a cry baby, nagger, whiner or screamer.
I need a female actor that can pull it off like WDH, who in my humble opinion, is one the BEST actors in the industry for crying, laughing and emoting expressions and feelings. His crying or sobbing scenes in My Country were believable, but especially that one scene inside the room with that silk item and his name embroidered on it probably due to the significance of what it meant.
Simply the BEST!!!
The gut wrenching moments in this drama definitely have momentum, but not as impactful as two specific scenes in My Country.
What else?
I really enjoyed the bond that was made on the road trip back to Seoul between the Heir and character played by WDH - the bromance was fantastic and seemed better than what was between WDH and the main female lead at times!
WDH has a beautiful laugh, way of chuckling and tantalising manner with particular words or expressions.
Him and only him!
Anyways, Mr Plankton is recommended for those that like a good mix of everything, but after episode 7 it doesn't seem as exciting and seems rushed or done so as not to leave any loose ends. But...done so without depth.
Maybe one loose end actually - I don't remember seeing anything about the test results of the 3rd candidate. 🧐
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Beaches : Bette Midler+Barbara Hershey.
06/02/2024 (Feb).
This is a decent watch, but not what I would consider "soulmates" - just a very strong friendship and sister like bond.
How can I put this - the connection between JiWoo and Miso, to me, was more of a soul connection - seriously, each time they met, their interactions and from the first time they crossed paths. The necklace she wore was a massive give away and Ha-run knew it when she spotted it, also, Ji Woo. Miso was actually a threat even though it wasn't the intention. It was her friendship and loyalty to Ha-eun that she put first above anything or anyone else.
SPOILER ALERT!
I also don't think Ji Woo really made any mistakes - even the cave scene wasn't a "betrayal* really because of Miso. No lines were crossed as she saved the situation although she took the necklace for protection.
I know this is meant to be all about Miso and Ha-eun and them being soul mates, but I found it wasn't done to perfection like it was in Beaches with Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey - that truly was one friendship that outshone any other relationship including boyfriends and husbands.
Lastly, it is one thing to keep a pregnancy and death from an ex boyfriend or ex fiance, but it is something else when you keep those kind of things from family and especially when that family is good even if not perfect. Actually, I think Ji Woo had every right to know about the pregnancy as he was the father and didn't do anything wrong except tell Ha-eun that her drawings should be treated as a hobby. He did everything to set it right between him and Ha-eun.
With Soulmates, it is similar to Beaches with the back and forth between the past and present and the triangle relationship ONLY I think Beaches is far superior and the flashbacks were more interesting and also quite humorous at times.
This is good to watch to pass the time - it is a bit slow and boring in parts.
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No Doubts Whatsoever!
If you are after a drama series that will keep you invested and on your toes then this might be the one for you.I feel it is well paced, but it may depend on the viewer.
Two episodes in and it has all of the following:
Crime
Murder
Psychological
Suspense
Mysterious
Melodrama
Family
Estranged relationships
There isn't much gore, but you will see a few crime scenes, also, you may have to put your thinking cap on.
If you have read the synopsis it is about a father dealing with a murder case in which he suspects his teenage daughter is somehow connected.
There is something about her that seems off for sure, but she is highly intelligent and I wonder if there is more to her than meets the eye.
Whatever it is mightn't be as bad as we are lead to believe like her father's suspicions and what have you.
Am enjoying the ride so far and hope the suspense and good storytelling continues.
Before I forget, the music is very thematic and suits the scenes perfectly.
I think there are 10 episodes all in all so plan to watch them as long as it keeps up the suspense.
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What is good about this series is that it is great for passing the time and does have some interesting moments to it.I really liked the main female lead in the one with Arthur Chen - Lighter and the Princess. In this one she becomes irritating with her predictable standoffish childish behaviour. For me personally, it was really annoying with what she chose to do at her cousins wedding and especially as she took the coward's way out. I get that we should see it as being young behaviour and total immaturity, but it should have stayed within the family and been dealt with in a less humiliating way. Some things she did were just inexcusable.
As for the families in this they aren't perfect so expect a fair share of deep hurts, misunderstandings, past traumas, abuse, bullying, unfair treatment and one death that needs to be unravelled as too much secrecy or tip toeing around it makes it a bit of a mystery.
I didn't really like the music too much in this one at all so the main theme song took a lot of tolerating, but by the end, it was tolerated and not too bad.
The main male lead I didn't mind at all nor the younger brother as one seemed sensible and mature and the other quirky and cute. Both good characters with a bit of spunk and intrigue.
In regards to the main parents - the actors did a really solid job of portraying a strict unloving mother and weak spineless father flawed by their upbringings, yet despite that, both actually did love all their kids deeply only some of the choices they made along the way weren't probably right. However, what parent always makes the right decisions throughout life? I feel most parents do the best that they can and from what they know.
I probably wouldn't re-watch this one, but if you need something to pass the time that isn't light and fluffy then this could definitely be for you.
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What A Cutthroat Industry!
Won't go into what this series is all about as it has been touched on already.The actors are great, the story is fine, however, I would have preferred more of the behind the scenes so as to see what pressure young artists are really put under as well as all the going ons we have no idea about that can make or break them.
We do get a tiny glimpse of the unsavoury side (exploitation, bullying, mistreatment) of the Entertainment Industry, but I would have liked to have seen a lot more.
One significant let down for me with Namib so far has been the mediocre music in it as well as the main actors/singers themselves that don't have what I would call the IT factor - as in the IT factor vocally.
Nothing has made me say: "Wow!"
Still 3 episodes left out of 12 so there is still time yet.
Oh wait! Perhaps one singer made me listen attentively only that was short-lived and one background song made me gravitate towards it a bit, but for a drama that is all about young talent, auditions, contests, contracts and music as in songs. Ouch!
To be fair, there is more to it than just music as we also get to observe hidden insecurities, personal demons, competitiveness and the dynamics between certain individuals.
I actually like all of the characters in this whether good or bad, but my favourite in this one is actually the teenage boy who is deaf followed by his dad. None of the mains really although they act their parts really well.
Oh! Wait! I did like the main male lead and felt for him and his difficulties, but as for CEO Kang...
Anyhow...
It's fantastic having a music industry drama, but it would have been a match made in heaven had the music (melodies) and songs stood out more.
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Also, a colleague dated a Yakuza guy briefly, but didn't find it threatening in anyway nor did she ever feel she was in danger. And unlike some things we had heard he had no missing finger. In saying that, another person I knew had a girlfriend from Europe go missing not long before her visa was about to expire - never to be found. She was working near a place called Rappongi as an escort so likely for the Yakuza (unorganised). She was an escort that served drinks and chatted nothing more - not anything R rated.
That was a really sad situation because her boyfriend (my friend) wouldn't give up and was persistent with the police about it for years and years, but just had no luck with them or finding her.
There are a number of missing foreigners in Japan - even murdered ones, like Lucie Blackman, only not all are mass media news stories or reported in anyway.
Anyhow, back to that nearby neighbour of mine, for some time I thought it was just an unfounded rumour about him because I only ever saw delivery drop offs every now and then when I passed by that way to and from work - nothing else.
You know the scene where one of the Yakuza guys wears sunglasses in that little restaurant and it is night time - I think it is a Yakuza thing. I was coming back from work late one night when I spotted a group of men all dressed in immaculate suits standing outside that neighbour's gates with about 3 -4 limousines (shaded windows) or Cadillacs. Expensive cars. Most were smoking and all wore sunglasses. I was literally crapping myself because they could have easily taken me if they wanted and made sure I was never seen again. I knew at that exact moment they definitely were Yakuza without a doubt. I was so nervous as there was no way I passed as Japanese so all I could do really was keep my head down, not say anything and quickly walk through them to get home and hopefully not gain too much unwanted attention. Not that they could miss me! I do recall some looked really young which surprised me. I did get a few cold hard stares I reckon because one turned in my direction and I could feel the intensity of being somewhere I probably shouldn't have been at that moment, but noone approached or hassled me. It was obvious something must have happened for them to be there so late and dressed like that - we (Japanese friends and I) worked out that there may have been a death among them, but who knows?! As the family name was on the gate near the mail box one friend looked for death notices under that name, but came up with zilch.
That is another thing - security cameras weren't so common in our area, but that place had them, also, he had a huge swimming pool which was uncommon as well. I don't think security cameras were so widely used back then when I think about it, but I could be wrong.
Guns weren't really an issue in Japan when I was there nor things like petty theft or mugging, but I didn't really work or live in bad areas if they did exist. I do remember mushrooms and other hardcore drugs starting to circulate only drugs really weren't so big back then either- they were obtainable, but not a massive problem like how we see it in Western countries.
This film touches on the years I lived in Japan if it starts in the late 1990s and onwards.
When I was there anyone with tattoos was banned from using the gyms and swimming pools because tattoos were associated with the Yakuza, also, believe it or not permed hair for some reason. Gangster hairstyle maybe.
I was told old Yakuza families belonged to organised crime and newer individuals belonged to unorganised crime - each different from the other.
Just wanted to share my experience because of this movie triggering certain memories even though what I saw or experienced with the Yakuza was just in passing whereas living in Japan was not.
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Based on a true story...
If you have ever watched HOPE this is along the same lines as that story only it is an ex convict's abuse towards an entire family of three. The "sexual abuse" occurs more or less after he grooms the 7 year old, I suppose, and has her parents hanging by a thread with all his threats and taking over their household.
Remember this is a movie not a drama series so don't expect it to be so in-depth.
We don't see a lot, but enough to know exactly what is going on. No problems for me there!
Good luck to finding this in English!
The main male lead that played the part of the ex con in this one is in a number of other movies and series including "What Happens To My Family" - he looks so different in this one in comparison to the cold faced son (doctor) he played in the other one. Not as handsome for some reason.
But it does show what a great actor he can be - and he is!
I was so hoping it wouldn't be him as the "baddie" doing the damage, but rather the "baddie" coming to the family's rescue like the pawn shop owner in "Man From Nowhere"
Nope!
Great watch, but not as gut wrenching as HOPE.
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Kill Or Be Killed...or not!
So far - so good!
Episode one paves the way whereas episode two gives us some background and a bit of context as to how Jian comes under her uncle's care before his apparent suicide when she is older.
There are some truly wicked scenes like when she (older) is finding "blind spots" when being targeted by a hit man in episode one, the scene where she (child) is hanging off a pipe or pole under the window of their upstairs apartment showing how quick she is to think and act in order to survive even at that young age (ep 2), also, when she crawls in to the morgue space to discover quite by accident her mother's dead body lying there yet stays quiet and calm knowing there are "bad men" trying to hurt her (ep 2).
Resilient in survival mode at its fullest.
There are other scenes too that are just as good - like when it goes back to the start in episode 2 with the hitman and dealing with the drones, also, the relationship development between Jian and her uncle which has some humourous and serious moments.
Not sure just how graphically violent or gruesome it will get as it goes on, but there is one scene (ep 2) where it seems like someone is hacking off the arm of her "uncle's friend" that had gone to her family home to either get her or protect her.
Her "uncle's friend" seemed quite young and good looking so it wasn't great knowing his likely fate. Never know!
Am ready and revving for the next episode...
It is really good right until the end!!!
If I was to complain about anything it would be about some of the flash backs used which are overused to clarify something, but it doesn't subtract too much from the experience.
Also, I kind of predicted something about one person from the very start so wasn't surprised when that person's true colours shone right through when they did - sad for me though as I kind of had a soft spot for them.
Highly recommended!!!
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22/08/2025
In short, there are six episodes that are about 30 mins each so it is fast paced and kind of like a cross between Kill Bill and The Glory.If you like action, fighting, double crossing, revenge and a bit of a twist with an interesting plot then this might be for you, however, I'm not really sure the plot is that original.
More or less (already written about) we have a financially poor girl that is a kickass martial artist and on the opposite end of the spectrum, a not so healthy girl from a wealthy family that is involved in a hit and run car accident. The one thing they have in common is that they look alike in every way possible - could be identical twins!
Fast forward a little - the martial arts girl is asked to stand in for the heiress because it seems she has been framed, so her family needs to buy time to find out the truth, before she goes to court.
Everything is not what it seems...
Gonna say at this point that unfortunately some kids just aren't raised right even with a silver spoon in their mouths whereas some kids from not so privileged backgrounds can be so very humble and kind even in the face of adversity.
Also, sometimes things change quite unexpectedly.
I don't recognise anyone in this drama series, but there is nothing wrong with a new face as long as the acting is fine - for me the acting has been excellent.
For some, it mightn't be for them as it isn't really about romance or love, but for others it may very well be right up there especially if they enjoy lots of action with fight scenes like Bloodhounds.
The music goes well with the scenes, but there is nothing that stands out like a top notch theme song (OST). Not really any songs at all.
Give it a go if you are into suspense, action and crime with a good dose of scheming, fighting, underhandedness and messing with the wrong kind of female.
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Broke Me!
19/01/2023
Love Between Fairy and The Devil awakened me, Ashes of Love totally broke me and Love and Redemption brought me much needed relief and healing.
Taken from Netflix:. "Hidden away by her mother, the Floral Goddess, the naïve Jinmi is drawn to Xufeng, the Heavenly Emperor's son. Yet forces conspire against them."
So, the story more or less is about XuFeng and Jinmi and what others do to keep them apart to never be together no matter what it takes or what is at stake.
And this is all done in the Heaven, Demon and Mortal realms (that order) with so many episodes dedicated to each realm starting with the Heaven realm.
It took me awhile to get into this series and I had to re-watch the first 20 episodes to appreciate the lighter side of it before it got so so so heavy.
Once it hooked me in there was no point of return, however, so I enjoyed each and every moment of it, but especially the human realm and final arc.
The scenes I liked the most were the tomb, puppet show, the betrayal and killing of the "Phoenix", the death of the demon princess's true love, the demon realm wedding and the humour throughout the earlier episodes.
What I didn't really like was the person who betrayed the Phoenix the most so I still find it hard to forgive!
Also, before I forget, Jinmi's character mightn't be for all. I had no problems with her though.
However, moving forward, I don't think I'd opt for any drama series with females depicted as weak and helpless unless it is a baby or child
What else can I say?
Oh yes! I didn't know what my life was missing until I watched all three above, but especially Ashes of Love and Love and Redemption.
Also, since watching these and a handful of others, I have come to the realisation that I prefer dramas with less angst or drawn out build ups to relationships - so for me romance or love is not the main priority, but rather the story telling.
Give me a great story with lots of action, drama, adventure and fight scenes anyday with strong male and female characters!
If you are a person who has watched several dramas, unlike me, either you will be use to 60+ episodes and therefore forgiving of the imperfections and slow burns with some of them or maybe not willing whatsoever because you prefer substance in the first 5-10 episodes as anything beyond that is a waste of time.
Also, if it is a cliched story line it will not be tolerated either.
I reckon this drama series deserves to be given a chance because it does have a great story line and fantastic cast plus the main theme song throughout it takes it to a totally different level.
On hearing that song again when rewatching those first 20 episodes made me feel so sad with this feeling of foreboding. I actually had this knot inside my stomach because I knew what was to come...
I will say that a few series after this one I watched IMMORTAL SAMSARA which has the same female actor cast in the main role of that one only I stopped two episodes short of episode 38 as the story wasn't the greatest at all for me. Giving it a chance was wrong! The actor, Cheng Yi, was superb in it and well worth watching, however, the story for me was quite boring.
Ashes of Love comes highly recommended and is re-watchable, but may not be for everyone especially if some have 200+ dramas under their belts that are flawless and A+ dramas.
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Tidal Wave Of Blood & Gore!
19/01/2023
A group of prisoners being transported on a ship escorted by police officers, break free, only to unwillingly meet their maker due to everyone's worse nightmare lurking below deck who escapes as well...
There are some pleasant looking faces among some of the prisoners, ship crew, and police officers only...an hour in, most of them are goners including one or two of the main characters. However, it is great to see an elderly inmate make it as far as he did as in most movies he would have been the first to go or not too far behind.
Faces, in some cases, that were completely obliterated beyond recognition I might add.
I actually worked out something about 10 to 20 minutes into the film that was the case in the last 30 minutes or so.
Just so you know there is a lot of violence, blood and gore that never stops once it starts and that is from about 10-15 minutes in.
Expect rather brutal scenes that are quite graphic and disturbing.
If you after a movie that doesn't have an original story line, but is still full of action and gore then this is the right movie for you.
Seo In Guk did an awesome job as a twisted sadistic Psychopath - the tattoos on him were something else as was his violent outbursts and killing for the sake of killing.
Jang Dong Voon was exceptional as well in the role he played as was most of the cast!
If you want two hours of gruesome no need to be analysed entertainment this is highly recommended!
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Everyone Needs An Ashile Sun!
10/01/2023I went into this after watching a number of other good CDramas with little expectations except that I didn't feel Lu Wei was right for the role and that perhaps someone else should have been chosen.
I thought he wasn't good looking enough, too scrawny and not old enough to pull off such a strong character like Ashile Sun and I knew nothing about Ashile Sun other than that he was like a nomad or warrior from the grasslands.
And I am not the only one that saw it this way from other reviews I have read on different platforms, but at least there aren't many.
Glad to say I was proven wrong!
Dilraba was okay, but unfortunately I didn't take to her at all.
The story, more or less, is about how a demoted Tang Princess set on vengeance ends up saving the Tang Dynasty from falling into enemy hands as overtime she comes to realise there is far more at stake than just her own personal vendetta.
The outro song eventually grew on me as did the music throughout each episode.
I enjoyed all of the males in it and the youngest princess, but I really liked the characters of Mu Jin, Yaro, Ashile Sun, Sher and Hao Du.
I have probably watched this 3 times back to back so it is most definitely likeable and re-watchable. There is not really one episode that is boring and the pace is just right!
From episode one it is exciting with the horse chase scene on to the bridge from the very start and that phenomenal Cuju game between the Tang and Ashile players.
In episode 5 we have a bit of a laugh when Ashile Sun discovers Channge isn't a male and is slapped hard even though he is blind folded.
And in episodes 15 and 16 it is a pivotal moment when Channge learns a certain home truth about Ashile Sun.
One of the best scenes I have ever watched in any movie or series comes at the end of episodes 24 and start of episode 25.
If you want to see real acting at its best I'd highly recommend watching the above.
In comparison to Lu Wei's character in Love Like The Galaxy (Ling Buyi), in the "uncle massacre scene", Ashile Sun wins hands down when it comes to "losing the plot." He is far superior!
Not sure why Lu Wei didn't do the same justice for LLTG although it wasn't a complete mess.
What else?
I appreciated that Ashile Sun was more honest and direct which is what I like in a person just in general so I found his character had more depth than Ling Buyi did in LLTG. Ashile Sun saw the bigger picture whereas Ling Buyi was all about vengeance no matter what the cost!
And whoever filmed some of the scenes in The Long Ballad should be given an award because some of the angles and shots were spectacular to a fault like the fight scenes and that Cuju game.
Some excellent filming - my kind of filming!
I know there are some that didn't take to TLB because it lacked romance, but to me that was an added bonus because the story was what I was in it for not a drawn out cliched triad situation or love between a couple that takes 59 episodes to manifest in full.
There is definitely love scenarios in this, but it isn't suffocating like it is in some CDramas. Yes!!!
That aside it is indeed a well told story that isn't too light or depressingly heavy and each episode has something going on.
I'd highly recommend this series for the story and a well told story at that where you will be drawn in by most, if not all, the characters and like each and every one of them!
This will probably remain in my top 5-10 for life!
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Touch Of Mad Max!
There is quite a bit of action, a number of fight scenes and even one car race challenge that ends lives if mistakes are made or the driver is in the firing line of hunters.
The idea of delivery men in a dystopian environment didn't really do anything for me, but as I had nothing else lined up I thought I'd give it a shot and am glad to say I have no regrets.
There always seems to be good and bad guys in this type of genre so it is a bit of a cliche - I was crossing my fingers for something new to be brought to the table or an original twist and this didn't do too badly.
One of the main actors in this 6 episode series is also in The Heirs and is a bit of a kick a$$ character in Black Knight as well.
If you want a fast paced action filled series with a decent enough story line then this might be for you.
All I will say is I really enjoyed this one as it had 1% romance!
Re-watchable for some like me!!!
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Frighteningly Disturbing In Parts!
18/01/2023
I am only five episodes in which makes it two left out of seven only the rest is yet to be released over the next 2 weeks.
A police officer, Agawa Daigo, moves into a small village, Kuge, with his wife and daughter replacing the former police officer, Kana, who has disappeared. It seems a well known local family, the Gotos, are dangerous people to mess with not to mention something doesn't feel right with the place at all especially after the body of Goto Gin is discovered in the woods after a "bear attack" and accusations of cannibalism is thrown in for good measure...
The only member of the Goto family that isn't crazy it seems is Keisuke Goto.
There are some really cool scenes like the bear attacking Daigo on the mountain, Mashiro's encounter with "That Man", the finger in the box, all the freakish adrenaline rush moments Daigo has with the Goto family, the car in the tunnel incident, the man with the half eaten face, the bodies and skeletons when discovered...
There a few minor things that irked me a little bit like one police officer taking on 4 to 5 family members with weapons by himself, a little girl wondering off in the middle of the night in a strange place and the directness of the Gotos or how impolite they were even if in a rural environment. For anyone to be so outspoken or to talk about a woman like they did of Daigo's wife so openly in public was distasteful and not something that would commonly occur in Japan where everything is usually quite indirect.
Not the Japan I remember anyhow unless it has changed a lot!
I have to say the Kuge villagers themselves are really weird and episode four has this vibe like: "The Wicker Man" or "The Lottery" coming up soon on Festival Day.
And now that I have seen Episode 5 it seems there might be a slow build up to that festival in which a "human sacrifice" might be the flavour of the day as it has been a tradition for one or two centuries.
The story is gripping until around the end of episode 4, the music is eerie, the thematics are on point, the cast is believable and the cinematography is outstanding, however, more and more it has this Twin Peaks feel or something similar to The Wicker Man, The Lottery and The Ritual.
21/01/2023: Additional Comment-
I reckon this could be turned around a little bit if they added a twist like Agawa's wife being an original villager or something and I'm wondering if they will do something like that - as in add in an unexpected twist.
Back To Original Post: 18/01/2023-
Highly recommended for the gory graphics and adrenaline rush moments, but about half way through, the story itself, loses originality and becomes similar to a number of others.
It doesn't make it terrible or bad to watch - just not original.
04/02/2023-
I have now finished watching it and although there is no real "twist in the tale" the last two episodes aren't too bad.
We find out more about Keisuke Goto and his younger brother and how they tie into the man with the half eaten face, also, a little more about Gin Goto (grandmother) and what she has in common with "That Man".
Just so you know season one ends on a cliff hanger or open ended ending which can be interpreted in two ways:
1) S2 is needed to tie up the cliffhanger in S1.
2) It is up to the audience to decide which way the wind blows when it comes to Agawa Daigo and his family as well as the Gotos and the Kuge Villagers.
Agawa Daigo is left facing "That Man" and his wife and daughter are left in the hands of one of the Gotos that isn't as sane as Keisuke.
The only silver lining in it all is that Agawa Daigo isn't all alone with what he knows about the Gotos and Kuge, however, it doesn't mean what he knows can save him...or will it?!
Background: Agira Yura (Agawa Daigo)-
The first time I ever saw Agira Yuya was in the film Nobody Knows back in 2004 when he was a beautiful looking boy taking on the role of Akira Fukishima.
Now is my second time ever watching him in a movie or series only at first I didn't recognise him until I thought his face looked familiar at certain angles.
Unfortunately, for Agira Yuya, his whole life changed because of Nobody Knows and not in a good way. He ended up turning to drugs in order to cope and at one point even gained a lot of weight which made him quite unrecognisable. In addition, he married young and had a daughter only months after being wed that became his saving grace.
Since then he has sorted his life out and is still married to the same woman he fell in love with at first sight!
I'm glad he was able to turn his life around and didn't end up wasting away to nothing.
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Not The Same As Go Ahead!
When I say it isn't the same - it isn't as great as Go Ahead at all!It's not bad, but nothing like it's Chinese neighbour.
I have seen Go Ahead maybe 3 times even though it has something like 46 episodes.
Going forward I will refer to Go Ahead as GA and Family By Choice as FBC.
With FBC it misses the humour that GA has when the children were young - even as teens and adults.
In GA, both boys were top students in school whereas the girl wasnt. One boy became a dentist, the other a chef/baker and the girl became a sculptor whereas in FBC it looks like one has become a doctor, one a dropout and the girl a cake maker.
Not sure about the dropout being a proper dropout just yet!
In GA, the one that became a dentist would supervise the girl with her homework at times and around episode 5 told her he was going to marry her someday. There was also this moment he didn't want her sniffing his bed and being in his room as he was starting to develop feelings for her so he told her off. The humour when they were teens in the original version was excellent whether at school, just with each other or at home.
In FBC, the one that becomes a doctor, doesnt say anything about marrying her as teens and doesnt really do too much when she smells something different about his bed which is actually a pertinent moment in the original version. Although they all get along really well - it just isn't on the same level as GA.
When ten years elapses in FBC it seems like the boys have just gone for the weekend then returned as their hairstyles haven't changed nor their faces in age.
With GA they all transitioned from teens to adults which was believable and noticeable like 10 years really had passed.
The good thing about FBC is that it is only 16 episodes so will give you a taste of what the Chinese one is like, but it doesn't have the same depth or characters. One character missing is the one that became a flight hostess in GA.
In FBC, it seems like they are bringing two characters together that were never together in GA. Personally, I don't like that at all.
Another change is the real younger sister of the oldest male seems to be more mature and not so bratty in FBC compared to GA.
Overall, I prefer GA over FBC because of the characters, their stories and the unquestionable dynamics between all of them as well as close bonds - including the parents.
FBC made some obvious changes which shouldn't have been the case - like losing the humour and certain characters, for example.
Still recommended if you want something shorter than the original even if not on the same level.
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