79
350
11
1
1
6
1
1
5
1
2
1
3
5
3
1
4
3
2
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1
1
4
8
It was never about getting back at them but more about getting yourself back!
This drama didn't scream for my attention, but it somehow had me hooked from start to finish. It follows the journey of Kanbe Misa, who has always been that person in the background who is a little too kind, selfless and trusts people too easily and ended up paying the price. But when life gave Misa the lemons, she knew how to make lemonade. The story starts as a second-chance revenge plan becomes something a lot deeper for her. It was about prioritising herself and finally choosing to live for her own sake.
This version doesn't lean into over-the-top twists or too much melodrama compared to the OG version and that is what worked for me. It had the classic Japanese introspective touch where the focus was on Misa, her fears and how she navigated and reclaimed her new life with hesitation and silent strength.
Coming to romance, it is definitely underplayed here but that doesn't take away how awkwardly sweet Misa and Suzuki were together. They were not intense or passion-filled but I felt it was the kind of chemistry that builds slowly, and it felt refreshing to me.
Considering they had 10 episodes to cover 16 episodes of content, it was excusable for me and didn't hinder my enjoyment but I wouldn't have minded a few more soft, emotional moments between them.
Moving to Antagonists, Reina really shone here. She was deceiving, unnervingly real and manipulative. All her actions stemmed from very humane emotions, from jealousy to entitlement to be treated better to insecurity. What I liked was that she didn't just exist to ruin things but she genuinely believed she was owed something and that entitlement colored everything red. She was the total opposite of Misa. Misa thrived on healing and growth, Reina on control and resentment throughout her life.
In the initial episodes, I felt they toned down her character compared to OG, but she brought the flair back.
As for SML Tomoya, he was hit and miss for me. Most of the time, he felt very airheaded and his presence was more of an unintentional comedic relief though there was nothing funny about him.
The antagonists and their issues were humane and while the drama acknowledged that, it didn't try to gloss it over with redemption! Sometimes when you don't change your ways, you learn the hard lesson of what goes around comes around!
Another thing that worked for me was the visuals. The cinematography and the colour palette of the whole drama were so pretty. Everything felt so calm and pleasing to the eyes. All the wide nature shots were beautiful. And of course, there was an umbrella moment. Lol, we needed that Korean touch.
Acting across the board was solid. Koshiba Fuka as Misa carried the drama effortlessly. She didn't overreact but every little shift in emotions was translated on the screen. Satoh Takeru as Wataru Suzuki was charming. We need him in more of those rich CEO roles in suits and those glasses. Though at times he felt a bit stiff, I felt that was how his character was. The rest of the supporting cast also brought good things to the table.
Overall, this was a really good and engaging watch. The pacing felt intentional, and the message of putting oneself forward and healing came through nicely. Though romance isn't the main focus here, it would definitely give you butterflies or two.
I would 100% recommend it.
This version doesn't lean into over-the-top twists or too much melodrama compared to the OG version and that is what worked for me. It had the classic Japanese introspective touch where the focus was on Misa, her fears and how she navigated and reclaimed her new life with hesitation and silent strength.
Coming to romance, it is definitely underplayed here but that doesn't take away how awkwardly sweet Misa and Suzuki were together. They were not intense or passion-filled but I felt it was the kind of chemistry that builds slowly, and it felt refreshing to me.
Considering they had 10 episodes to cover 16 episodes of content, it was excusable for me and didn't hinder my enjoyment but I wouldn't have minded a few more soft, emotional moments between them.
Moving to Antagonists, Reina really shone here. She was deceiving, unnervingly real and manipulative. All her actions stemmed from very humane emotions, from jealousy to entitlement to be treated better to insecurity. What I liked was that she didn't just exist to ruin things but she genuinely believed she was owed something and that entitlement colored everything red. She was the total opposite of Misa. Misa thrived on healing and growth, Reina on control and resentment throughout her life.
In the initial episodes, I felt they toned down her character compared to OG, but she brought the flair back.
As for SML Tomoya, he was hit and miss for me. Most of the time, he felt very airheaded and his presence was more of an unintentional comedic relief though there was nothing funny about him.
The antagonists and their issues were humane and while the drama acknowledged that, it didn't try to gloss it over with redemption! Sometimes when you don't change your ways, you learn the hard lesson of what goes around comes around!
Another thing that worked for me was the visuals. The cinematography and the colour palette of the whole drama were so pretty. Everything felt so calm and pleasing to the eyes. All the wide nature shots were beautiful. And of course, there was an umbrella moment. Lol, we needed that Korean touch.
Acting across the board was solid. Koshiba Fuka as Misa carried the drama effortlessly. She didn't overreact but every little shift in emotions was translated on the screen. Satoh Takeru as Wataru Suzuki was charming. We need him in more of those rich CEO roles in suits and those glasses. Though at times he felt a bit stiff, I felt that was how his character was. The rest of the supporting cast also brought good things to the table.
Overall, this was a really good and engaging watch. The pacing felt intentional, and the message of putting oneself forward and healing came through nicely. Though romance isn't the main focus here, it would definitely give you butterflies or two.
I would 100% recommend it.
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