Too much gratuitous sex, but nice twist ending
Started off with a mystery and the premise makes the viewer root for certain characters right away. The unravelling of the mystery was entertaining to watch because of all the plot twists.The social injustice narrative became a bit too heavy with the sadistic abuse of the servants, and the tiresome part of it is the fact that there never seemed to be any way out. They all had to endure it because of the poverty back at home, and the seemingly high wages that "compensated" for the "back-breaking labour." In spite of that explanation, it's hard to believe that money is enough to motivate someone stay at this job when some of the abuse could maim them for life, making it difficult for them to continue earning any income at all.
The acting was quite convincing for the most part, for both sides of villains and protagonists. Thanavate Siriwattanagul, who plays Mawin, stood out for me. The characterization of the servants was quite one-dimensional for all of them, so one cannot say that they had much acting to sell to begin with.
Ending was satisfying, although a bit too fantastical.
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Interesting episodes to start, but fizzles out soon after
Each case really does have quite a compelling premise. The types of cases are also very interesting because they're civil suits, not criminal ones, which we've already seen too much of in both Asian and North American dramas. The problem is that the middle section of each case gets really boring and I end up dropping it for a couple of days before I try to finish it.What I liked:
- unusual and interesting cases
- favourite case was Oba's
- male and female leads - actors had pretty good chemistry
- creating a protagonist who has a superpower, but who also has a major flaw
- the other supporting characters in the ensemble
What was problematic:
- writer/director didn't know how to build up complexity in a story to keep it interesting
- Ishiko's and Oba's dynamics > actors had no chemistry with one another
Since there are more things that I like about this drama than not, it should have got a higher rating. However, the overall series is just very blah.
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Beautiful set and costume design
I’m giving it three stars for all the pretty dresses that the actresses wear, which is about the only good thing in this drama. After one episode, you think there be some big mystery. Instead, it’s some insignificant character who is supposedly murdered, and then there’s no follow up. And then you think the writer in the story is going to commit murder to make things more interesting, but she doesn’t. And then they introduce another female lead character who doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the main plot of the writer. I don’t know how the production company approved of the script and spent all that time and effort and money into making this into a drama. I’m giving up after two episodes.Was this review helpful to you?
Nonsense and Ridiculousness Rivals "Descendants of the Sun"
If this were made to be a satire with a lot of humour, it might have worked. Too bad it was made to be a drama/action/thriller/(fantasy) because I simply cannot take it seriously.If others can believe such ridiculousness as was presented in episode 1, then perhaps they can watch the rest of the drama. For me, I am dropping it.
What I liked:
Hiroshi Abe
What was unbearable:
- the main characters, Businessman Nogi and Doctor Yuzuki.
- Masato Sakai plays the bumbling idiot well, but the character is too obnoxious
- what is with the over-acting from Fumi Nakaido?
> her character is supposed to be a highly trained doctor > being able to hold down a job in a foreign country and culture means she should have the temperament and experience to behave more rationally and sensibly
- an incompetent businessman from Japan knows an American CIA agent? And is like a brother to him? When he can barely speak English properly? (the ridiculousness continues)
- an ordinary businessman goes on such a tricky and dangerous mission in a foreign (fictional) country that is rampant with corruption *alone*
> without any aid from the Japanese Consulate > without any aid from a local guide > without even so much an an interpreter (because let's assume that people everywhere can understand the Japanized version of their language)
- portrayal of most foreigners (natives of Balka) as antagonists, while all the protagonists are all Japanese)
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