Standard Hero Teacher of Bad Students
I didn't watch the first season and never read the manga, but I did enjoy this show. There were some completely over the top stupid moments, but for the most part it was okay. The genuine messages the FL (teacher of Class 3-D) were well delivered. It's a story of not giving up, even if the world judges you without knowing who you really are, it's about true friendship and even family. I don't think it's meant to be realistic at all, but to give a warm feeling.The "students" actors all did well with their acting; anger, laughter, tears, regret, etc. The FX (makeup from the fights) sucked. The OST wasn't great, but the episode music was okay. Some fight scene choreography wasn't great production wise; so obvious.
The other teachers were ridiculous and same with the parents. I would've given it a better score, then just 6.5/10 overall, if the students (at least the 5 main guys) had at least once came to the aid of their teacher or even helped her with a love interest. There needed to be a little more depth between the teacher and those 5, to make her influence more impactful. They could've done that and taken out some of the "comedy" bits of the supporting characters from the teacher's "family."
Over all the handsome guys and a strong FL, made up for the short comings.
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Aogeba Toutoshi worth the watch
For me this was better than the American movie: Mr. Holland's Opus, which is also about at man who loves music and becomes a high school music teacher. There was drama, the feel good moments, action, and great character development. The message of believe in yourself and in others of like mind, was well portrayed. Friendship was a dominate theme too. I cried during the last episode, even though I knew what was coming. The acting was superb from the students and the teachers. The only reason I didn't give it a 10/10 is because they hinted at some girl/boy romance with certain students, that didn't go anywhere. Also at the end they could've shown a 10 yrs later where we get to see the students that were the main focus throughout each episode, as what they had become as adults. I will definitely rewatch this show.Was this review helpful to you?
Bulgasal overated
The first few episodes seemed interesting, but even with the slashing, blood and gore, it wasn't enough to hold my attention. When the ML switches to more of a current time line, the flash backs become redundant. The writers seem to be madking it us as they go. The weird out of focus cinematography gave me a headache and didn't add to the drama at all. The monsters have really crappy makeup and you can even see the contacts for their eyes. Their nails are supposed to be able to slash, but when you get a closeup of those same fingernails, they aren't even sharp. Continuity issues as well.The actors try their best, I kept watching because of Lee Joon's acting for his character. But the predictable plot and lack of wow moments, didn't help and trying to create romance between certain characters that had no chemistry, seemed just an add on. This drama-thriller seems to borrow concepts from other dramas, but not in a good way.
I dropped it after 7 episodes. Others rave about this new drama, but I'm just disappointed and feel let down by the writing. Overall 5.5/10
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Creepy Thriller Potential Ruined By Bad Writing
LIKES:Cinematography, colour palate, location selection and music all well done. [But too many very dark scenes/no lighting.]
Interesting view of how a disabled person can live; apartment and driving. I liked seeing all the tech to make a wheelchair bound person live independently.
The concept of the AI chatbot, was what drew me into the drama in the first place.
I liked the shaman ceremony, but I wished they gave more backstory to her supernatural abilities. The costumes were well done for this too.
The ML was nude frequently, not just all the females. That was a little more balanced than what other dramas have shown in the past.
ML acting was on point and did the creepy killer justice.
Everyone was well chosen for their roles and the acting was pretty good, considering the crappy writing.
For a k-drama the production wasn’t too bad (shaky camera moments kept to a minimum).
FX: The blood and gore were well done, even though the method of killing sometimes was far-fetched.
DISLIKES:
Writing:
Sloppy writing, plot holes, limited back story and character development. No character growth for any of the main characters. Backstory of Male Lead non-existent, and what we did get seemed like an after thought. Overuse of Love at First Message/chat going on, but because there was no substance, the impact was lacklustre and failed. Believability non-existent. Some very stupid moments: a cop going to a very secluded area, without researching the location before going or telling anyone where she’s going. Her cop senses should’ve been screaming at her, long before she got to the final location. She does the same stupid behaviour towards the end of the show too. Make her a weather reporter or something that doesn’t use investigative skills, that would’ve at least made it more believable! Side stories that didn’t add anything to the story, for example the Boss Samantha, was underused. Also for a thriller, a lot of it was so muddled. I figured it out, but I’m sure other viewers were confused.
Directing:
Many times the reaction of characters was way too delayed. Also pacing was a huge issue after the first two episodes.
Production:
Lighting issues and many too dark moments, that felt like lazy camera work or editing.
OVERVIEW: I never read the book, my observations are purely based on the show. I’m glad it was only 8 episodes, although maybe writing would’ve been better if it had more episodes. It’s an okay watch, but I’ve seen a lot better from K-dramas in this genre. I’m on the fence about recommending it, as I won’t watch it again.
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Good FX, Overshadowed by Plot and Production Issues
LIKES:Settings where they were out in nature, like the gardens. Such beautiful flowers and land scape. Vibrant colours!
Cinematography and location settings were all well chosen.
The casting was spot on for both the actors and actresses!
A strong female lead, that never was made into a simpering fool due to falling in love.
Some of the special effects were really well done too, without over using CGI or green screens. Editing was well done and seamless for the most part.
The “magic” effects and makeup for the stone potion of the soul shifters that go wild, all exceptionally well done.
The chemistry between the actors and the actresses all flowed well.
The comedy parts were okay.
Writing was consistent for the most part and well thought out, considering they were creating a whole new world.
Acting mostly was well done too (just not for all of the cast), at least for the main characters.
The music was chosen well, never overpowered the dialogues and even added to the atmosphere in the scenes!
DISLIKES:
Shaky camera moments, it is 2022 you should know how to use a film stabilizer by now! If not for that, then production would’ve been perfect.
Too many love lines, which means some of them will either be killed off or left not concluded, but we will see what happens in the second season.
Even though the females were mostly strong, they eventually turned into supporting characters, even the female lead. That contradicted the beginning episodes and how they were survivors of their circumstances.
Not sure if it’s the director’s fault or the writer’s, but there were too many filler scenes that didn’t add to the story, but gave certain characters more screen time. This might have also contributed to the pacing problems.
OVERALL:
I did enjoy the drama and will watch the second season (while hoping they fix the other problems). For a fantasy drama it is decent. I would recommend it for others to watch, but not sure I will re-watch it, even while waiting for the second season.
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Terrible Writing Packaged with Good Action
LIKES:Action right in first episode
Decent fight scenes
Writing:
No romance thrown in, because it didn’t need it.
The bad guys didn’t upgrade to guns.
The bromance between Gun Woo and Woo Jin was fun and heartwarming.
I liked the young archery character and her dynamic with the two boxers.
Production:
for the most part was good, sometimes zooming camera in too close, but at least shaky camera wasn’t noticeable.
Music:
was fitting, but no song stood out.
Cast:
well selected and I love that Woo Do-Hwan is a main lead. (Both boxers were delightful eye candy!)
FX:
blood and scars were decent.
DISLIKES:
FX:
the stitches looked to be done by a butcher and not a medical professional. Some of the facial damage, like broken noses were omitted. The big facial scars should’ve been a little more raw looking, compared to what was shown.
Directing:
Pro criminals not noticing a car tail gating them on an empty highway and following them every turn they make?
The elite bad guys seem to be able to handle a lot of force on their heads, which throws the realism of the fights out the window.
Writing:
A few characters we need more information on what happened to them, especially at the end. However I understand why they had to get rid of Kim Sae Ron’s character due to the actress’s DUI, but the way it was done made no sense due to the character that was created up until that point.
The whole Marines part about the two boxers: Marines are trained in hand to hand knife fighting and many other weapons. The South Korean military are trained in Teukgong Moosool. Their characters knowledge and skills therefore very lacking.
Criminal element was very unrealistic, especially since the master villain gets defeated by two young boxers. Also all the masters (the brains and brawn) get defeated so simplistically, which made for a disappointing conclusion for their characters.
A lame plot was covered by violence.
Pacing issues:
Ending felt rushed, but they had plenty of extended drinking moments. Time could’ve been used better.
OVERALL: The fitness level that the main actors had to achieve was awesome. This should've been an action movie and not a series. It's fun to watch for the fights, but don't expect anything from plot. I don't need to watch it again, maybe just clips of the 2 boxers (lol), I would recommend it for fight scenes and action only.
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Nothing to cheer about
LIKES:Wardrobe was good, same with colour pallet.
Cinematography was okay.
Okay music, nothing memorable.
Familiar locations, same as other dramas.
I liked Hae Yi’s best friend and her interaction with Min Jae.
FX for scrapes and their zombie game, were decent.
DISLIKES:
Pacing:
I skipped some parts, which is why I don’t know what happened in the end For Soo II, after he fought with the “villain”, but I also don’t care enough to watch that whole episode again.
Production and Editing:
Some parts were abruptly cut and hard to follow what happened. Even their episode recap was a mess.
Shaking camera syndrome appears again (lack of using film stabilizer).
Directing:
Drawn out scenes that could’ve spent time on development of characters.
Everyone carries a cell phone, but no one uses it to call 119. Instead they yell at the person who is in distress, over and over and shakes the wounded person.
Overly delayed reactions of characters.
Writing:
Too many filler scenes, plot holes and an under developed love triangle, where chemistry between the FL, ML and 2ML, was severely lacking.
The characters felt like they were in high school, but some looked way older than university.
The thriller wasn’t thrilling and was so obvious who it was. Also how that was concluded made no sense.
OVERALL: The actors/actresses did as well as they could considering the terrible script and filming. This is a decent filler show, when you're waiting for your show to post new episodes. No adult scenes, a few kisses and hugs. Expected more since it's a 2022 made show. I wont watch it again and it barely made it to 4/10 (that was me being generous too).
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Mild sex, low key violence, Friendships win
I never read the novel, so this review is based solely on what I watched (via Youtube and with English subtitles).LIKES:
Cinematography, lighting, location shots, scenery, fight scene choreography and special effects, were all mostly well done.
Wardrobe was tasteful and flattering for the characters, while suiting the scenes.
The tigers were a beautiful bonus.
Acting:
Chemistry of the actors involved, all meshed okay (some better than others).
Actors/actresses were well chosen for their roles, with a few exceptions.
All of the emotions of the main characters were executed well and acting was decent.
Writing:
I was glad that the BDSM portion of the love/sex scenes wasn’t over the top and was extremely mild.
There was enough drama to get absorbed in the storyline and characters, without being annoying.
I really liked how supportive Kim’s parents (and all the parent figures in this,) were.
The crime/mafia portion had just enough content to suit the story and develop the characters.
Conclusion episode gave the right dose of time to most of the characters.
Production:
A few continuity issues and a few moments of shaky camera filming, but otherwise well done.
Editing was decent and the scenes flowed smoothly for the most part.
Director was good.
Music was okay, but nothing that you’d remember. Glad it didn’t overpower the voices of the acting occurring.
DISLIKES:
Production:
Some of the shower scenes/naked moments, you could see the actor wearing short shorts (it wasn’t blurred or hidden well), which drew away from the impactful moment.
Writing:
The relationship between Kom and Baiboon was cute, but didn’t have enough growth or time to be explored and clarified. It felt too unfinished. Also Baiboon’s age was never confirmed. Was he in high school or first year of university? [Did the script writer leave out important information?].
I wanted a few more moments were Kim was protective of Kamol, to make the ending so much more impactful.
The mafia boss Kamol wasn’t really as dangerous as he should’ve been.
The woman Cherry wasn’t needed at all, mostly there for product placement (which the office ladies that worked for Kim, could’ve done easily.
Directing:
The main characters of Kim and Kamol didn’t kiss open mouth much, this was very PG. It took away from the chemistry of the couple.
BDSM had no erotic moments and didn’t do that sexual practice justice.
OVERALL:
I was glad that the violence and sexual violence wasn’t as graphic or abusive as the KinnPorsche series. Pacing was great too. I do recommend this to anyone who likes friendships and the BL (Boy Love) genre. I will watch this again, because it was a decent BL drama. I missed the hot chemistry of the main leads, that BL dramas such as Love In The Air (Boss & Noeul, Fort & Peat) and Between US (Boun and Prem) gave us. As expected a lot of obvious product placement, but that’s normal in Thai-dramas.
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Toxic Love
LIKE:Locations, sets, cinematography, lighting, sound affects, all good.
Music: lyrics of some songs were very appropriate and added to the overall scene in that moment.
Cast were well chosen. Okay chemistry between MLs, but it was Mark (actor War) that kept me watching until the end.
Writing: I liked that they showed how important trust and communication are in a relationship. It was refreshing seeing how supportive the parents of Vee were, same with his brother.
DISLIKE:
Writing:
same old cliches and tropes used. Each step of the “romance” was so predictable. I really hate the word SORRY and so will you by the end of episode 4! Most of the reviews talk about the lack of plot and how toxic the relationships were.
Directing:
Not enough physical chemistry shown between Ploy and Vee, Vee & Mark, as well as the other “couples”. Too much time spent on their drinking scenes.
Music:
Sometimes over powered the actors voices
Production:
Zooming in way too close to the actors faces; I could see clogged pores and zits under their makeup.
OVERALL:
IF you are just starting out in the BL drama genre it is okay. There are better BL dramas out there to watch. Fast forward will be used a lot in this drama. I wont watch this again, but will check out some of the other work by actor War.
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Physical & Mental Test That Felt Scripted
LIKES:For the most part production was good.
It was interesting to see the various occupations/sports that these fit people were part of.
The different body types did have a good range of people.
The competitions got better towards the end, especially for the last 5 standing.
The music was fitting for competitions and for the most part good.
I liked how even though only one person could win, that everyone encouraged each other to persevere.
DISLIKES:
Felt very scripted until the last two competitions.
The claim about gender and race equality, felt false due to: 1- the games themselves favouring certain body types and 2- because the other races that took part in it, felt thrown in to the mix and didn't have equal amounts of people as the obvious asian dominated participants.
I didn't like some of the competitions where it was done in teams that were chosen by participants. It would've been more interesting and fair, had they teams been picked randomly.
OVERALL:
If they bring a second season I would watch it, but can't be bothered to watch this one again. I did binge watch it. It was interesting and you could really feel the competition and emotion the players felt. If you ever want to know how a body builder would be able to compete against an athlete or military people, this is the show for you!
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Great Acting, Lacking in Writing
LIKES:Colour palate, cinematography, landscapes and location settings, lighting, are all very good.
Acting: Young Harumichi (Kido Taisei), FL (Hikari Mitsushima), ML (Takaru Sato), young Yae (Rikako Yagi), were all excellent showing emotion and fitting their characters.
The concept of the story: First Love, the kind you can’t forget even as an adult and want to find again.
The sign language used was nice to see too.
Sound Track was okay, but needed more from the 90s to fit the story. The music didn’t overpower the voices of the actors and actresses. I did like the music tracks used to show Tsuzuru’s music production talent.
DISLIKES:
Production: once again no film stabilizer and it was extremely annoying and unnecessary for the camera to be shaking!
Editing: some of the sequences were out of order for showing the past when the main characters were teenagers.
Props: CDs, CD player, movie references, had wrong year if it’s supposed to match the song release. Some of the “costumes” were not the correct era.
Writing: Plot holes, cliches and a totally stupid (X-rated or should be) sex scene thrown in. KassyFan27 gives a lot of insight into the messy writing. Amnesia as a plot device, to explain Yae’s memory gaps… ridiculous or just lazy writing. Side characters that didn’t add to the story or help with character growth. Yae seemed to have character growth but not so much with Mr. Namiki.
OVERALL: I power watched it all in one night. I did like it, although it had some slow spots (pacing issues). Some stand out acting by a few people. I would recommend it if you like Melodramas or the ML & FL, but I won’t watch it again, (even though Takaru Sato looks very good in a uniform).
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The Writers of the Drama Didn't Do Their Best!
LIKES:The father of the ML, Nam Dong Jin and his connection with Bong Yeon Ja.
The almost fated relationship of Sang-Ah and Joo-Hyuk. Their moments together throughout this drama were my favourite parts.
The comedic type moments were kept to a minimum and the serious trials of life gave off a feel of realism.
The production was good and same with the cinematography. Even scenes that happened at night, were easy to see.
The OST was okay, but no memorable music.
The acting for the most part was pretty good too.
DISLIKES:
The father Nam Geum-Pil was made out to be too much of a looser and it got old fast. He was completely irritating throughout the drama and parts became redundant.
Director spent a lot of time on unnecessary moments, that could’ve been used for making another episode at the end. Not all of the conclusions of the characters were handled well and were too open ended. The final episode felt rushed and sloppy.
For this drama to be labeled a comedy, I’m not sure that’s the right genres.
The FX, mostly used for wounds, was decent but was close to unrealistic.
The writing failed in a lot of places, but I can’t be more specific without giving spoilers.
OVERALL:
I watched all episodes, but was a little disappointed in the ending. It’s watchable if you have no expectations and fast forward during Geum-Pil moments will be used a lot. It’s an easy watch, so I would recommend it. I won’t watch it again.
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Good Story Messages
The first 3 episodes I had to push myself to keep watching because the FL was irritating. However the rest of the show was good.Likes: They didn't linger too long during misunderstandings that caused conflicts, but did give it enough time to seize the viewer without creating anxiety. This is something a lot of dramas don't know how to do properly. I liked the friendship aspect of all the relationships. The chemistry was lacking between FL and ML but also FL and 2ML (Orca). I also liked how this show tackled social media and using a cell phone. The way they show us how it can really affect our lives, both publicly and on an individual level. The scenery of where the FL and ML would venture to, was beautiful. The food images made me hungry and wanting to try it all! Production was really good too, no shaky camera moments to give me a headache. I liked the character development of both the FL and ML , and also the painter and the online shrink.
Dislikes: Some of the supporting character romances were unnecessary and didn't add to the story (like FL's co-workers). That film time could've been used for the ending, as it felt rushed. The music was 50/50 because in the beginning I disliked it, but some of the music in the later half of the show was good. I didn't like the directing in that the FL sometimes hesitated too long or the ML should've hugged or held her hand or did something a boyfriend would do to offer support, encouragement and even comfort. Also they could have used the FL online influence to bring more attention/business to the ML's food truck, which would mesh their two world together better.
Overall it was a good watch, I would recommend it as an enjoyable and easy drama. Solid 6/10
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friendships and first loves
I never saw the manga, so my rating is just based on the movie itself. It had some heavy content in terms of life experience of a youth, but I felt it handled it pretty well. The only part they glazed over was the depression that ML (Kou) felt and Yui felt too. Other than that it's a great movie about friendship. The romance parts were cute and sweet. The music was okay and the production mostly good. The writing was okay too. The scenery was beautiful, especially the sunset landscape shots.The reasons I didn't rate it higher like others, is because the crying and emotional moments fell a little flat, which could be the Director's fault or maybe the cast aren't as experienced as actors. The supporting role characters really didn't have much development or storyline and I wish that they had. IF this had been made into a series instead of a movie, to give it more time for character development and growth, I think my rating would've been higher.
It's a good watch, especially for a high school drama and those new to watching high school rom-com dramas. A solid 6.5/10!
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Strong Start with A Badly Written Abrupt Ending
Up to Episode 25, the show had a good pace and showed some character growth for each of the main storylines. Then things began to go downhill. It's like the writers gave up and tried to rush finishing the Season. Everything they had built up until then , like strong friendships, got thrown out the window. Their choices on how to conclude the couples and who paired up with whom, became dumb and fed into what in reality would be extremely toxic relationships. I was completely disappointed in how it ended. If you're going to sabotage what you initially created, then do it right, not this mess! If you don't want to have a happy ending for each of the pair ups, then give it a dramatic break up and that's it. Also I really disliked the mother of the main FL. The mother doesn't trust her daughter at all and even ignores her privacy. The mother is annoying and out of touch, even after FL tells her off. The little brother was more understanding and supportive, than the mother!LIKES: for the most part the acting was good, showing true emotions for what their characters felt. The filming locations and scenery were sometimes really beautiful. The camera work was steady and knew how close to go when zooming in to a character's face [A LOT of dramas have shaky camera syndrome and zoom in way too close {like you can see their nose hair}.]. Also the story is nothing new, but initially they took their time with building a strong foundation, just to mess it up later.
I will not rewatch this. If I was rating it up until Episode 25, then it would be 7/10, but for the whole thing, it's barely a 4.5/10. I do NOT recommend this drama.
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