Orangevine

This is an ultimate 'Han' action movie. Unforgettable experience.

10/10

This is a charming action movie. I must admit I prefer Yojimbo-Sanjuro movies to Seven Samurais.

The legendary movie that kick-started spagetti-western.

Yes, this is definitely a drama about fake law with romance at its centre. But. The writing is on another level. You'd be hard-pressed to find more brilliantly written show. I'd go as far as to say that this writing is on par with Sherlock. The grip and the dramatic tension will leave you reeling for weeks.

This is a kind of writing that you'd expect from the country of 'Han' that produced Signal.

10/10

So Ji Sub is too hot. Gong Hyo Jin is too great.

I couldn't finish it because the torture/gore scenes were really getting to me. Spoilers put the final nail in that coffin so I'd recommend to avoid them at all cost.

I also think that this drama is not for a literal-minded viewer.

Woah, so much 'Han'! There are also in turn funny and scary zombies and charismatic characters. I watched it in the cinema and avoided bullet-trains for a while after that.

I was deceived by the comments and the reviews here. I thought Stranger was the second best South Korean detective drama after Signal. And Stranger is, indeed, a stellar drama. What I got wrong was the genre.

Stranger is not your typical detective drama at all. The viewer can mistake it for one especially during the first few episodes. But it is, first and foremost, a drama about prosecutors, and it has its main focus on politics and corruption. Once the viewer leaves all the crime genre expectations behind, there is plenty to be enjoyed.

In fact, I enjoyed the drama so much I was severely disappointed by one of the plot turns. The finale and occasional fluffy shenanigans clashed with my mystery genre expectations. Other than that, though, the drama was truly captivating and amazing. It also helps that I do not mind dry story-telling.

The drama is also light on 'Han' so don't expect to be crushed by the soul-wrenching agony a helplessness against injustice makes you feel. Which is a plus in my book. I'm still reeling after Signal.

8.5/10

My only gripe is gender violence (and occasional sexism). I was really put off by it. Otherwise, this is one of the best tv show I've ever seen in my life.

10/10

BTW I have this whole theory that Suda is not great with chemistry because he is too good of an actor.

He got so accustomed to be head above everyone else, he didn't learn a skill of playing off of each other which is crucial for building chemistry. The actors of the same caliber as him (who could inspire him to try that 'playing off') are usually much older so they are unlikely to be cast as his love interests. He does have great (friendship) chemistry with the veteran actors in Archimede, for example.

Do you mean that Suda deliberately doesn't build romantic chemistry with his costars because he wants to avoid idol following?

I totally agree that Suda doesn't want to be an idol or to 'please' the public. But the actors who get that idol status attain it through being 'dreamy' and having roles where they can do a lot of fanservice while looking like 'perfect boyfriends'. These actors don't necessary have outstanding chemistry with the female leads. Not to point any fingers, but there are plenty of ikemen actors who fail to have chemistry in their every project.

I do think that actors need the idol status to be able to get the main roles in the big blockbuster movies. But you are right that Suda may very well not want that.

Nevertheless, there are many serious roles in the art house cinema and in the indie dramas that require romantic chemistry. Having it by itself doesn't make one into idol. Ayano Gou and Ikematsu Sousuke are both masters of chemistry and their careers in the art house cinema survived.

I'm not a big fun of art house, I'd rather watch a mystery drama. Unfortunately, Suda rarely stars in those and when he does his chemistry is really lacking.

Gintama is a casting miracle. It boggles the mind to see how starstudded the movie is.

Wow, what a way to dismiss half of the mainstream.

Call me 9 year old but I'd really like to see Suda pull off some electrifying banter with his costar in some trendy detective drama. Or drama about lawyers.

I honestly think that ratings on Mydramalist should be adjusted by taking two points away from any drama with ikemen and by giving two points to any drama without. 9.5 seemed like just the right rating for Hibana, for example.

Ah, this is my ultimate fave. I've rewatched it 4 times.

There is romance but it's 15% of the whole show and arguably it is not very satisfying.

There are many intense interactions between various characters, so the show is not dry. But it's definetly not about romance.

Wow, team Yamaken was more popular?? I would've never guessed by the movie.

I completely agree about Oboreru Knife. Nana and Suda shoot an ad together (which utilized their hipster auras) that cemented them as a couple a lot more than this movie.

I must admit I believe Suda will fail in his two upcoming romances (pairing with Nana notwithstanding). He can build friendship dynamic or play up a physical desire but his romances always seem dry. The movie with Nana is going to be a serious drama so he will be able to get away with not having any romantic chemistry but I do wonder about project with Arimura Kasumi.

Suda is an acting genius, he's just not suitable for romances.

Woah, Nishikido Ryo here is just way too hot. Aragaki Yui plays a great character to boot. This is a very decent romcom drama.

My problem is, Tsuchiya Tao is too hot. And she has this nice animalistic chemistry with Suda. But every time I was expecting their interactions to explode with passion, the interactions turned PG. And Suda is too good at dialing down the chemistry so I kind of blame him (and the director).

Maybe they were aiming at pure friendship but I think they nailed friends-with-benefits instead lol

This is simple and fun procedural even if some of the jokes are problematic by modern standards.