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Where the original Story of Chunhyang (and earlier film adaptations of the folk tale) tells the story of the beautiful courtesan's daughter and the handsome nobleman who falls for her, in this retelling this classic love story takes on a new dimension.
Bang-ja has worked in servitude to Mongryong for many years. He's satisfied with his existence until one day he encounters a woman who changes his life forever. Both master and servant fall for the beautiful Chunhyang at first sight. However, due to his lack of status, Bang-ja is convinced he doesn't stand a chance against the aristocrat, Mongryong.
I have to say this retelling of the original folk tale was quite moving to watch.
Where Chunhyang (2000) is an upbeat, pure love story with likable characters all around, The Servant is a poignant story of long-suffering and sacrifice. It puts a more mature spin on the original story, and solicits a deeper emotional investment from the viewer.
Both films are great for different reasons. In Chunhyang I loved the feel good story of young lovers discovering each other for the first time as well as the skillful direction of the film by Im Kwon-Taek. In The Servant the hero's strait journey to be with the love of his life is what touched my heart.
He was a very sympathetic, worthy, if tragic, hero, portrayed superbly by actor Kim Ju Hyuk. Though powerless & trapped by his low class Bang-ja revealed himself to be the true noble, a man of honour, wisdom & sound character who, for the sake of love, suffered through much humiliation and hardship. A number of the supporting cast put in notable performances as well, in particular Oh Dal Su's In No, Bang-ja's compatriot & mentor. The Servant was also surprisingly modern in tone and mood. It took on a somewhat tongue-in-cheek approach towards its handling of sexuality. It may seem a bit contradictory to the period in which the film is set, but it worked somehow with the overall arc of the story.
In closing, I'd say both films are well worth a watch, though it's not mandatory to see one in order to understand the other. I'm giving The Servant a 10 (as I did Chunhyang) for its story & Kim Ju Hyuk's performance. The ending was beautiful and bittersweet. Just an overall enjoyable watch that I'd recommend to everyone.
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You'll meet one of the wackiest drama husbands/dads ever. Best way to describe the guy is to imagine the bombastic personality of somebody like say … Hugo Chavez, only he's Korean.
He runs his household with an iron fist and expects full submission from his wife and daughters, but there's no doubt that he loves his family. In fact, he's close to perfect husband material in many ways, but a dictator nonetheless. He, along with his wife, are the highlight of the show, believe it or not!
Fans of the very cute Song Joong Ki will not be disappointed. He and his lady love are an equally humorous duo, esp in later episodes.
As the series progresses it delves into more melodramatic territory which takes away a bit of its charm. The story meanders into a repetitive mess of parental blackmail & coercion, relying heavily on a series of coincidences and contrivances that would make even a 6 yr old scoff.
I did not care for the Kim Bo-Ri story arc, much of which consists of making mountains out of molehills when her situation was easily resolvable.
Moreover, she was the typical innocent, naive ‘country girl comes to the big city’ type heroine with noble idiocy that you see all over dramaland. I didn't hate her, but I didn't care for her either. Throughout the show I kept wishing she’d go away; sadly she remained to the very end. I much preferred the confident and warm-hearted Jang Inho (though you never did see any tears when she cried! lol).
A few aspects of the show compromised my enjoyment:
The drama details the important role of fathers in Korean society. I found this notion of single fatherhood novel because in a strongly patriarchal society where women are upheld as the sole caregivers, it serves to show that men too are just as capable of nurturing children. Confucian values that permeate Korean daily life, those of strong family bonds and honouring one's parents/elders, are also explored.
You’ll fall in love with Kim Sung Soo as the disillusioned, down on his luck single dad struggling to provide for his children. KSS didn’t really convince me with his acting, but his character was nevertheless wonderful here. The only ‘nice guy' hero I’ve seen in a long time that gets my full love and support without reservation.
Now obviously if I was looking for shows which espouse Western values I wouldn't be watching Asian dramas, but the show presented a few cultural and social mores that were a bit hard for me to swallow.
First and foremost, the parents in this drama were appalling! (except Dictator Dad). Manipulative, coercive; blackmailing their children with threats of disownment and suicide if they didn't do what they say, was their default approach to EVERYthing. I couldn’t fathom how in the world such callous & bizarre ultimatums constituted love, esp when your child is rendered utterly miserable as a result of your unreasonable, draconian demands. It made me dislike the parents … a lot; and these adult children too, to some extent, because they NEVER once tried to take charge of their own lives. Not even a little bit. I’m not saying they should turn against their parents, but certainly some form of protest, defiance, a rebuttal even, would have seemed more credible than complete surrender in the face of being treated like objects rather than human beings?
Basically, this story is all about parents constantly denying their grown children the right to manage their own lives. Over and over and over again for at least 30 of the 54 episodes.
Secondly the drama misleads its viewers in 2 major ways:
1) Halfway through the lead characters are switched. So you start out thinking one particular couple is the focus of the story … you root for them and fall in love with them … only to see their screen time gradually reduce to barely 5 mins of the 1+ hr runtime. dafuq? This particularly annoyed me because I could care less for the couple who took over the spotlight.
2) For the vast majority of the show you'll be shipping certain couples only to be blindsided by the end of the drama. I hate, hate, HATE when writers pull these stupid ass stunts. HATE. IT. To avoid disappoint, don't take too much of what you see in this drama at face value.
Last but not least while romance was constant throughout the drama it was exceptionally DRY. Please tell me how many times can you hug someone as a show of affection when you're supposedly passionately in love? I know there are strong censorship laws in Korea, but certainly characters can show affection for someone they claim to be madly in love with without locking lips (or resorting to one lame ass hug after another)? Writer-nim, PD-nim, how about tender kisses on the forehead, kissing the hand of your loved one, nuzzling the face, jump into his arms lean your foreheads together & stare deeply into one another's eyes, walking arm in arm, cuddling on the couch etc? It IS possible to create authentic intimacy without blatant sexualization. I guess I'll never get used to Korean prudishness as shown on their TV...
In closing, I simply can’t get on board with the overall moral of this story. First, we’re no longer living in Silla. If you’re an adult in modern society you should have some say in how you live your life. After all your parents aren’t going to keep you warm at night or satisfy your sexual desires. Second, making sacrifices for one's children is inevitable and a natural part of being a parent. Nevertheless, biological parents shouldn’t be together at all costs just for the sake of a child. Even when you’re a parent it’s not healthy to neglect your own wants & needs ... as long as doing so doesn’t compromise the physical and or emotional health of the child. You only have one life to live, and if you’re happy, likely your kid will be too. JMHO.
Despite these complaints, I DO recommend My Precious You to family drama lovers. Is it perfect? No, but it's worth watching at least once, esp if you’re used to or no longer suffer from culture shock regarding the issues expressed herein. You’ll enjoy the family warmth, the comedy and all the secrets are revealed at an even pace so things don't get too drawn out in that regard. If you’re still a drama newbie like me this drama will be enjoyable if you go in knowing what to expect. That way things don’t come across so shocking & bizarre. It is in this capacity that I hope this review has been helpful to you.
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This is a movie about opposites attracting. Both parties jump into the relationship with gusto and are more than happy with their arrangement initially. As time goes by, though, the true natures and motives of the characters are revealed, and they begin to realize they might have bitten off more than they bargained for in starting this relationship.
Sweet Sex and Love is truly a well executed case study of how disastrous a relationship between a man and a woman can be when there's no communication of expectation on either side. When one, Sweet Sex ... or Love, is given full reign to dominate, to the neglect of the other.
I really enjoyed how the plot unfolded in this story. It's one of the better 'opposites attract' movies that I've seen in a long time. The script, the direction and the editing are all cleverly done. For once the pacing isn't slow and as grating as fingernails on chalkboard. The director deftly controls what you see, feel and experience until just the right moments. Nothing is revealed prematurely. No dialogue or sequence squandered. The narrative is very nuanced, leaving the audience to decipher much of the characters' actions and behaviour. At the same time you're taken on a journey where you're inundated with one truth for almost the entire film, until just like the characters you get the rug pulled out from under you. HARD. (No pun intended).
Certain themes that you never thought to associate with this type of film begin to surface with stark clarity and force; valuable lessons, on sweet sex ... and love, emerge. Sweet Sex represents one character & love the other, can they really coexist beyond the initial intoxicating stage of a new relationship? Everything falls into place. The title begins to make sense, the explicit internal dialogues, what you may have dismissed previously as a repetitive sex manual ... all begin to take on a whole new meaning.
Very nicely done indeed.
Certainly a good movie for audiences who enjoy a more mature exploration of the complex relationship between men and women. If there's any kind of sexy movie I love, this would be it.
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Through an unfortunate twist of fate Mimura Shinnojo's life is never the same again after he discovers poison in food meant for his clan's lord. It causes a series of events that would rock the resolve of the strongest of men. For me, Love & Honor was the most entertaining of the 3 films. Where the other two films were slow-paced & preoccupied with portraying the mundane, everyday lives of low caste samurais Love & Honor was more fast-paced, though not by a lot, and more developed to keep the viewer wondering what would happen next.
I kept watching The Twilight Samurai and The Hidden Blade because I became attached to the characters and wanted to see what happened to them even though the pacing of their stories would have bored a less patient viewer. Love & Honor was slightly different in that the story pulled you in as much as your affection for the characters.
And let's face it, the fact that Kimura Takuya is the star of the movie makes it a worthwhile watch, but the film is anchored on it's own merit by having an engaging plot as well.
Performance wise everyone delivered. Kimura played a disabled man in this film. I'm tempted to give him high scores all around because I love the guy so much, but if I'm entirely honest his 'disability' was perhaps the weakest point in his act. I wasn't totally convinced. I've seen movies where other actors were more authentic. Having said that the lovely Mr. Kimura delivered on all other counts, with the usual charm, emotion and dedication he's known and loved for. He plays a very vulnerable character in need of tender, loving care in the movie. So for lady viewers he's bound to awaken your nurturing instincts because you just want to reach in, give him a hug & a kiss and tell him everything is going to be alright. :)
The other actors did well too. In particular the actress who played Mimura's wife.
Overall I found this movie to be more emotionally gripping than the other two, and in order of preference Love & Honor would be my first, followed by the The Twilight Samurai and then The Hidden Blade.
All three films tell the stories of low caste samurais struggling to survive. There's an element of romance in all of them, and the added bonus of all 3 films in the trilogy ending on a very satisfying note.Samurai films are almost always synonymous with death, in my experience, but another reason to love this trilogy is that they follow a different path in this regard.
Love and Honor, in particular, puts a lot more emphasis on the romance than The Twilight Samurai & The Hidden Blade. It packs a stronger emotional punch, and is thus one of the reasons the film worked so well for me.
The films are all similar in mood & tone, though L&H is slightly more upbeat than the others which felt more melancholic & dreary. The charm of these films, in my opinion, is that they're very good in portraying the not so glorious side of Samurai life. Therefore, if you're looking for a Samurai movie with the sweeping, epic battles these are not the films for you.
Here the Samurai profession is not as 'pedestalized' as it normally is in other films. Many of the Samurais featured are poor & barely earning enough to support their families. The heroes of these movies are simple men wanting simple pleasures out of life, but by their lowly status are forced to live under the thumb of brutal feudal lords. They work as Samurais not necessarily because they want to, but because they have no other choice.
I think the trilogy is well worth the watch, but if you're not given to the Japanese's affinity toward slow paced narratives then I'd say prioritize Love & Honor, if nothing else. The films are independent of each other so you won't be missing anything if you choose to watch one and not the other.
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Whoever lit the set on this show did a wonderful job. There's nothing overly unique about the cinematography, but the pictures looked sexy, very cinematic.
Great direction of the camera too. With very short episodes the story doesn't have much room to develop, but the choice of shots were effectively used to enhance the dramatic effect of each scene. In particular the numerous high angle shots made the subjects seem more desperate, vulnerable, passionate or whatever emotion the director tried to evoke.
I haven't seen such high production values on an Asian TV show in a long time.
Acting was average. No standouts, but no irritating performances either. Good chemistry and intimacy between the leads. The little boy was really cute and sweet.
If I had any problem with the show it was with our hero. Arrogant, rude, self - centred male leads don't bother me. Most men in real life are like that anyway, until they meet a woman who inspires them to change. I like watching this transformation so I can forgive a lot of bad behaviour if I know deep down he has a good heart, but there was something about Le Jun Kai that made me uncomfortable. He had a violent streak toward the women in his life that I didn't like. Even though his motivations for being angry were valid I just can not trust a man whose first impulse is to resort to violence, especially against women. It's not a good sign. And I know, I know! It’s just a tv show, but still, I don't like it.
Aside from that the series was good. It works the way it is, but wouldn't have suffered from a slightly longer run time for each episode, say 30 mins instead of the current 15. Just to give the story more oomph & to allow the characters to really capture your heart.
Overall, well worth the watch if you're looking for a quick fix or if you’re in between dramas like I was and can not decide what next to watch.
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It keeps you engaged & guessing, but sadly disappoints you with a very anticlimactic third act. I was expecting a more explosive resolution, but all I got was ... that's it?
Never a good place for an audience to be.
I've seen both lead actresses in dramas before & they play quite convincingly against the type of roles I'm used to seeing them in. The main actress got a lot of work done and it's obvious. She was nevertheless able to inject (no pun intended) the right amount of emotion into her facial expressions.
Overall, I liked the story, and to some extent how it was executed, but I wanted a more satisfying climax after all that good build-up in the first and second acts.
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The best way to describe this show is that it's a 19th century period drama playing dress up in modern 21st century clothing. I mean you had 40 yr old virgins who had never kissed a man (and the very thought that she would do so with a man she isn't married to was a form of high treason), women being referred to as maidens (or whores), women so conservative they balk at the idea of wearing lingerie because it's too revealing (even in the marriage bed with your newly-wedded husband) and on and on and on. Several times I had to stop my viewing to double check the date this was released. I was shocked every time. It was indeed 2009 ... a mere 4 yrs ago.
Gender roles were extremely pronounced, and some of the messages preached to women were quite infuriating & incredible. I have nothing against gender roles in and of itself. Heck, when I have a mind for it I wash, cook, clean & iron for my Yobo too. Nothing is wrong with traditional gender roles as long as its right for those involved. What I had a problem with was how this drama dealt with serious issues such as infidelity and divorce. As a woman, I was greatly offended by a lot of its preachings in this regard.
I decided to watch the show because I thought it dealt with a mature, interesting topic, but how the story played out was a disappointment. The beginning and end were a grievance, both being terribly melodramatic with particularly bad, exaggerated acting from some of the older cast members. Instead of being touched I mostly heaved a sigh and rolled my eyes during these parts, if I didn't skip them all together.
The middle was okay for the most part, but again this too was ruined by a heroine who was as interesting as a wet noodle. This woman went through 55 episodes with a horrible woe-is-me, defeatist attitude that made me want to reach into the show and chuck her off into the Han River myself. Not only that, her ENTIRE behaviour defies logic. I can suspend belief when the circumstances call for it, but there was no earthly reason under the sun for this woman to behave the way she did 9/10 times.
She had NO backbone whatsoever, she bent over this way & that to please all the wrong people, she treated a perfectly good man who worshiped the ground she walked on like dog crap, her first instinct when life threw her a curve ball was to crawl into a hole & die OR hide her problems from those who can help her and lie, lie, lie to cover it up. I mean why on earth would someone lie when the truth works better in their favour? Moveover, why on earth are we born into this world with a family, why do we spend most of our lives trying to find a partner who will love us if not to depend on them in our times of need? How am I to root for a character who gives up without even trying? Who has no fighting spirit? Moreover, I can count on one hand the number of times this woman smiled for 55 episodes of this dratted drama.
On the other hand ... in complete contrast to her, you had a hero who has a great personality and an optimistic outlook on life. He's a modern man who takes charge of his own life & doesn't bow to every wish & demand of his elders. He loved his family & showed them respect as any filial child would, but he made the final decision about what course of action to take regarding his life. But most of all he was the type of man every good woman deserves, but a man like Kang Ho was wasted on a woman like Eun Nim. I have NO idea what he saw in her or why he loved her so much. He was everything Eun Nim should have been, but wasn't. I'm pretty sure if the elders told that woman to cut her own throat she'd do it without question.
By the end of the show I really didn't give a damn whether she lived or died. There were moments involving her when I should have been moved, but I just snickered. I wanted her to go hang herself and leave Kang Ho to find a woman who could face life with him head on, guns blazing. I felt pretty convinced she & he were incompatible and that in the long haul their relationship would not last. This is the first time in my life that I, perhaps the biggest romance junkie ever, did not want the main couple ending up together.
The secondary story arcs were good. I enjoyed them a lot more than main story line. They were also well cast, though horribly acted by the older cast members who had a tendency to exaggerate and overact. Furthermore, I can't conclude this review without expressing my complete & utter disdain for Kang Ho's hyung Sae Hun. He had a beautiful wife who loved him & yet he was insensitive and cruel toward her for more than 3/4 of the show & not once did I hear him apologise. It seems as though he was considerate of everyone else's feelings but hers, and would resort to despicable means to get his own way. I pity Seon Young for the long life she has to look forward to with this prick.
All the other characters were flawed and very human. I fluctuated between liking them and hating them, but mostly liking them. This is a good thing because it's probably the only good thing this drama had going for it. The characters, except Eun Nim, were all very well crafted. Many of them felt so real you're bound to see a personality you've encountered before in your own life. You had grown adults acting like big babies; neglectful, high-strung parents; selfish, lazy primadonnas; territorial children and the list goes on. I liked it. This, however, is not unusual for Korean (Asian) dramas -- most of them excel at crafting characters we can relate to so this doesn't win LYATT any points, as far as I'm concerned.
Overall, I mostly disliked this drama. Sadly. It had a reasonably good story, but for such a long drama an engaging lead character you can root for is paramount to its success. The drama failed for me due to an heroine I had difficulty identifying with. She was weak, unlikable & her behaviour was ridiculous & illogical. Moreover, the drama created a mountain out of a mole hill about things that had very straightforward and simple solutions, even a baby could figure it out ... but I guess that's melodramas for you.
It would be unconscionable of me to recommend any reasonably intelligent person to invest 55hrs of their life to watch this drama. It's not all bad, there were some good scenes, a bit of comedy here and there & some characters that will make you smile, but that constitutes only 10%. Therefore, the investment isn't worth it. And for heaven's sake if you're a feminist stay the hell away from this drama. Watch Ojakgyo Brothers instead if you're in the mood for a good family drama with likable leads and a heroine who acts like a normal human being & has gumption. Trust me, you'll be saving yourself a major spike in blood pressure.
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This review may contain spoilers
Spoilers for S1 finale
The special picks up where we left off in the Season 1 finale. Toru is reinstated as President & CEO of Next Innovation; Asahina is paroled and living a simple life as a software engineer; and Makoto is a world away in Brazil, pursuing her dream of becoming a research scientist.For one week she returns to Japan to be with Toru, who can't seem to make up his mind about what exactly she is to him.
I thought these two were already officially dating, albeit long distance, but turns out this is not the case. In the special they're given a chance to develop their relationship from a question mark to a period. Their journey is, of course, fraught with professional obstacles, miscommunications & Toru's eccentricities. Like with every new relationship having another person share your life, your personal space is an adjustment for both parties. But Makoto learns to ask for what she needs & Toru learns to compromise.
Sometimes I watch TV couples and think if they were real they'd never make it beyond TV land. But I feel good about this couple. I love their bicker and banter. They already seem like an old married duo.
Along the way there were moments when I wanted to slap the sh.. out of Toru. I mean how obtuse, stubborn & cantankerous can one man get? Everything worked out for the best though.
The ending was nice. Left a huge grin on my face. I even started to hate Asahina a little less. I didn't take notice of the OST before, but here it was very fitting. The theme song is actually quite beautiful.
Overall, this was a nice addition to the series. I enjoyed it more than the drama because there was more focus on the development of Toru & Makoto's relationship. Hence the 9 scoring. Not everything was as I had hoped for, but I still really, really liked it. Now I just hope they produce a season 2 because even though we got some closure on the couple's relationship, their story still feels incomplete.
I'd love to see them again, juggling life, career and love, and preferably living under the same roof. But this is a Japanese series we're talking about. I won't hold my breath on that happening even if they do make a S2.
Anyway, give this a go. You can watch it without having seen S1. You'll still be able to follow. Would I re-watch? Yes. I don't know exactly when it happened, but these characters have really grown on me. I'll never get tired of seeing them together.
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This review may contain spoilers
Autumn's Concerto had all the hallmarks of an epic romance novel. Rich, larger than life hero, sweet innocent heroine, the adorable love child, scheming parents, the ever present love triangle, grandiose declarations of love ... yeah, the whole nine yards. It SHOULD have been wildly entertaining, the type of love story to sweep any and every romantic off their feet. Sadly, it just did not happen. Not for me. In fact, I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more had it been a novel rather than this TV show.
The story had enormous potential, but fell apart under the weight of crappy, disjointed writing, dubious casting and uninspired direction. I can’t have much respect for a drama when things happen to suit the writers, rather than the circumstances they’ve placed their characters in. I can’t have much respect for a drama when things aren't consistent.
Couple a bad script with a not so great lead actor and you have a bit of a hot mess on your hands. I know I'm about to raise the ire of many a Vaness Wu fangirl, but I'm sorry, it has to be said: the brother cannot act. At least not in Autumn's Concerto he couldn't. There were times when he seemed really into his character and other times when he literally seemed to have lost the plot. He just did not embody that charismatic stage presence required to bring alive a larger than life character like Guang Xi. I also didn’t find him attractive enough so not even brownie points for being man candy could save him. Lead actress An Andy came across more natural and a lot more comfortable in her skin, however given the horrible material she had to work with her character didn’t amount to much. She had a good start, but not much later she morphed into a bland, uninteresting shell of what she could have been. She pretty much spent the entire drama after the first 6 episodes being frustratingly passive.
Thank goodness the supporting cast were decent. I liked President Fang even though she seemed to have ice running through her vains. She was an intriguing character who I felt strangely sympathetic toward even though I couldn’t tell why until the end. The villagers of Hua were a wild, hilarious bunch. I was particularly taken with second lead, Hua Tuo Ye. It was very easy to like this guy. You know the saying ‘what stays too long serves two masters’? Well, this pretty much sums up Guang Xi and Mu Cheng’s relationship to the point where Hua Tuo Ye started to look like the better catch simply because he was PRESENT in Mu Cheng’s life, taking on duties and responsibilities that should have been Guang Xi’s. Yet another indication of shoddy script development if your audience spends most of the drama wishing somebody else gets the girl. Last but not least there’s Guang Xi and Mu Cheng's son Xiao Le. The kid’s a show stopper. I loved him, but for a 5 yr old, little man sure had some ridiculously grown up lines and was too wise beyond his years. I didn’t buy an ounce of it. Another failure of the script? I think so. Lousy direction? Yupp!
Finally the music choices in this drama were atrocious. They played the grating, high pitched theme song literally every 10 seconds throughout the entire drama. When the theme song wasn’t on, random use of different genres of music were tossed in. There were a couple scenes covered with medieval tunes which had absolutely NO relevance to said scenes at all. I mean, WHAT??? Did an amateur compose the score?
And it doesn’t end there. Constant flashbacks (which slowed the story down to a snail’s pace), disruptive cut-ins to repeat a scene that just played or to show spoilery future scenes ran rampant. Imagine, just when you’re getting into story … BAM! You’re pulled right out of it by these ridiculous machinations.
I don't know what the producers were thinking. It had a great premise, but was executed with catastrophic results. While I was still able to enjoy it somewhat, watching this drama gave me a major headache. I can't give it more than a 6, and that's being quite generous, considering...
It's okay to watch Autumn's Concerto, if only for the few romantic scenes. One thing I did appreciate about this drama is that it showed intimacy between the characters quite realistically without compromising the virtue of the actors. The Koreans could learn a thing or two from Autumn's Concerto in that regard.
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This review may contain spoilers
PLEASE NOTE: Certain details related to the overarching theme of this drama are scattered throughout this review. There are no spoilers of important plot developments, however, reader discretion is advised.THE GOOD
First and foremost it should be noted that this isn't a breezy frolic for romcom lovers looking for kicks and giggles/rainbow and hearts. The drama poses a series of pertinent questions related to love, commitment and marriage. Though certain situations are exaggerated for dramatic effect the drama presents ethical dilemmas people in long term relationships face in some form or another everyday:
Is it fair, reasonable or wise to expect blind devotion from your partner?
When does cheating become cheating? When physical contact occurs or when the heart departs and only the empty shell of the body remains? And regardless of which, is cheating grounds for the parting of ways?
Good food for thought. Exactly my type of gig. Up to about episode 4.
Secondly, the dynamic of the lead characters’ relationship. Let me say this right off the bat: I hated the leads in this drama. I wanted them dead. BUT I did like the dynamic of their relationship. It’s not every day you see a powerful, confident, intelligent female coupled with her equal. In a better drama I would have loved this pairing, as they represented a meeting of mind and heart on equal footing, as opposed to the usual pairing of the naive, country bumpkin and big city slicker or the take charge older career woman and her lap dog noona killer lover.
Finally, acting wise there were no standouts, but no irritating or horribly unconvincing performances either. Pretty average all around, but okay enough for me. I was, however, pleasantly surprised by Lee Jung Jin. I’m used to him in more wholesome, boy next door type roles so it was a pleasure to watch him as the debonair playboy who was more naughty than bad. He had just enough good in him to make me not completely hate him. I bought it.
THE BAD
The drama blights its own potential, given the mature, thought provoking subject matter, with cheap, superficial, self-congratulatory, crass plot developments. Poorly written and poorly realized almost from start to finish. A drama or movie doesn't start on the screen, but on the page. If what's on the page is bad from the get-go, no amount of good direction and acting can save it (in the vast majority of cases). This being one of them. The first 4 episodes did their job of getting you interested and engaged, but subsequent developments disappointed with one impulsive, puerile action after another. Not to mention characters who seemed impervious to any logical behaviour expected of normal human beings. Here are a few general examples:
*You hire your rival’s most trusted and loyal servant, tell that person all your secrets and are then surprised and angered when the servant betrays you. #smfh
*You’re under investigation for a crime where you stand to lose EVERYTHING, but instead of hauling ass out of there, you offer up evidence that could ruin your life as prize for a fist fight. WTF?? Nobody with half a brain does that!
*Just keep on throwing people together in parks and cafes for a nice ol’ chat, without thought or plausible motive as to WHY these people should even be talking to each other. Let’s create drama at any cost because my viewers are dumb morons who won’t notice this sh--.
And those are *only* the minor ones. It was simply just one absurdity after another.
Supporting characters were nothing more than vapid, 1-dimensional talking heads, transplanted only to encourage sympathy for the insipid. None had depth. In fact, pretty much everyone displayed some sort of split personality disorder every 5 minutes ... to the point where I'm convinced the writer must have been tripping on some serious high grade herb as he penned this sorry drama!
If I had any affinity towards anyone that would be Han Soo, the mumbling, bumbling wannabe paparazzi. An insignificant character with no story arc of his own who should not have garnered my sympathies more than the leads! I also supported the wife. I don’t understand what HJ bashers saw that I didn’t. Even if she did everything people accuse her off, is it so wrong of her to be hurt and angry in the grand scheme of things? People are acting like only the Hong Kong incident is at play here when there’s far more to it than that. Is what she said/did in a moment of great crisis so much more worse than what transpired later on in Korea, after the Hong Kong trip? While I don’t condone all of her behaviour, I certainly understood what motivated her. Besides, she ultimately showed herself to be the only character of true character in this sordid tale of treachery and deceit dressed up as ‘true love’. Lipstick on a pig, as another reviewer puts it. A very apt description indeed. SHE was the only true heroine as far as I could see.
THE UGLY
I am still trying to fathom what exactly is the writer’s proposal here. Is it:
a) a bad joke to get viewers all worked up?
b) a nod to narcissistic weasel pricks and conniving home wreckers? or
c) an attempt at a balanced discourse on a complicated topic?
If the answer is a) then I didn’t get the joke. Sorry.
If the answer is b) this drama is a resounding success! Home wreckers and cheats everywhere should see this NOW! Somebody finally showed how shitty some of you people are … BUT not to worry you still get the ‘prize’! And a ‘good job, good job’ pat on the back to boot. Now ain’t that the shi..zzle!
However, if the answer is c) this would be the most vile, ludicrous piece of chauvinistic drivel I have ever witnessed. Here is a drama which basically dumps on women:
*Your husband is entitled to have you put up with all his sh*t, no matter how stink it gets. Continue to blindly trust him in everything he does even if his actions don’t match his words. Just delude yourself with the lies that come out of his mouth and be quiet, woman!
*Cheating is a man’s privilege. His right, even. Don’t make a big deal out of it, no matter what, as you’ll only end up hurting yourself. Just put up with it, uh, Yeobo? Endure. Taaaaaaaaaa kwænchana! (Everything alright, for those of you who need to brush up on your Korean :-).
*All my single ‘ladies’, it’s ACE to covet another woman’s husband! You go get him, girl! Even if you have to buy his ass. And slap a bitch.
*Brethrens, never give up on an opportunity to trade up, ya dig? Love? Loyalty? Conscience? Screw that. None of that gets you the good life. Or a fast track ticket to the big times. There’s no dishonour in being a kept man.
*But trust, only women pay the price for home wrecking. Us bros get off scott free because … well. It’s a man’s world. Haha. Sorry, ladies.
It’s insidious. If c) is the writer's proposal, then I utterly repudiate it. This is no epic romance about love conquering all. This is very sordid business, set in motion by a conniving serpent and a lying, opportunistic loser pig.
And just so we’re clear: I know it’s possible for people to fall out of love (one of my all time favourite dramas dealt with this very theme with an entirely different effect). I know good people sometimes do bad things. I know life is messy and doesn't always allow for things to be wrapped up nicely and neatly with a big red bow. I didn’t go into this drama expecting sweet, uncomplicated love. I was prepared to keep an open mind and forgive where necessary. Unfortunately the writer led the donkey into a ditch. I couldn’t find it in me to sympathize with characters who acted with such haughty and callous disregard for other people. At least show a little contrition that doesn’t come off woefully lacking, phoney and insincere. Show a little reverence for the years someone dedicated their life to you by being honest with that person at the very least. But, they were pompous, condescending arses to the very end. I seriously wanted to vomit.
I won’t close with a recommendation of whether you should watch this or not. See it for yourself and make your own determination as there are certainly those for whom this drama was a hit. I am just not one of them. Temptation is the worst adaptation of the ‘indecent proposal’ concept I’ve ever seen. It didn’t work. It left the mother of all bad tastes in my mouth. I couldn’t get away from these characters fast enough. I hated them. I wanted them dead. And I’m blacklisting the actors until I purge myself of this truly repulsive experience.
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In most dramas the first few episodes are usually a dud for me. I suffer through them until something happens to grab and hold my attention (often around the 3rd or 4th episode). This drama, on the other hand, had me the moment Gong Yoo's Choi Han Gyul stepped out of the shower in EP1! :) What can I say? I'm shallow when it comes to my drama men. I want them to look damn good and in that department Gong Yoo sure didn't disappoint! Besides that the lead characters and main story lines were introduced with a bang. As just one example, Eun Chan was a great character from the start. She was a girl just trying to make the most of the hand she was dealt. She had spirit, she had gumption, she wanted to be self-reliant and make something of herself.
I didn't waver in moving on to the next episode for a minute. I haven't seen that many dramas so with Coffee Prince I also experienced a lot of firsts: first time seeing second leads kiss in a K-drama, first time seeing authentic intimacy between the characters in a K-drama, first time seeing (and coming across) a drama which tackles the risque topic of homosexuality in a K-drama. It was all unexpected, but wonderfully refreshing.
I found the main premise of the story to be a bit far-fetched given that the girl was clearly a girl & situations and circumstances in the drama should have alerted the hero to her rightful gender. But to go on this sweet, romantic journey with a pair of very likable leads is to suspend belief. Coffee Prince was otherwise delightful in its cuteness. I enjoyed the side story of Han Seong & Yoo Jun, even if Yoo Jun worked my nerves with her often selfish, manipulative ways.
The acting for me was not top-notch, but it was acceptable. From behind the scenes footage I understand that this was the lead actress's first major role. I could tell because at various points I felt she struggled with her character. She wasn't able to lose herself completely into the role and it showed. I loved Gong Yoo's interpretation of Han Gyul in the first several episodes, but somehow in the latter ones it felt like his character transformed. He became juvenile, a bit whiny even.
Overall I give Coffee Prince a 7 because even while I enjoyed it, there were a few significant flaws I couldn't overlook. First and foremost, Eun Chan & Han Gyul's relationship, though sweet, had a very strong teacher/student/sister/brother vibe to it. There's no denying the chemistry between them, but it waned significantly after they went steady (the final episode being the only exception), and their interactions, from where I sat, lacked the passion of two people in love.
Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, the show dragged in more than a few areas. There was a lot of meaningless exposition, (filler) scenes with characters who had little significance to the plot. I had to fast-forward on several episodes just to keep myself interested.
My third and final complaint is that I didn't really like how the men were portrayed in this drama. Pretty much all of them were in a state of distress over women who treated them poorly. There was a lot of unreasonable behaviour from the women going around (Yoo Jun, in particular, but even Eun Chan took her deception to point where I began to question how sincere was her love for Han Gyul when she saw how he was suffering & did nothing to ease his distress). This is a general issue I have with female led productions no matter where in the world they're made. There's a tendency to reduce the men to pathetic chumps. Some women may enjoy this, but I'm not a fan. Male or female, I just can't stand to see characters act like doormats, esp in love.
I'm satisfied with this drama, though. I don't know if I'll watch it again, but I'll certainly remember many scenes with fondness.
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A magnificent piece of filmmaking, the picture uses visual metaphors and allegory as a form of social commentary. What exactly is its message? You decide, but there's absolutely no doubt that every piece of cinematic tool is put to the most effective use in an effort to help you decipher what you will.
The roles are well cast, the performances alternately heartfelt and disturbing, the story layered with symbolism and pregnant with meaning. The cinematography dazzling in its simplicity. Even more, what particularly struck me was how nature and sound became characters in their own right, enriching the film's atmosphere with a foreboding presence.
I loved the movie because it inspires me as someone who wants to make films and it provides me with entertainment that seduces my brain and leaves a catch in my breath.
This is certainly worth your time if you like your films artful and intelligent, but coincidentally it can also be consumed as mindless entertainment. If you so choose. You can choose to not look for its deeper meaning and just be caught up in the urgent passions of the film's protagonists.
Woman in the Dunes is outstanding, and gets an overall 10 from me for a story filled with impeccable nuance, skillful direction of actors, camera, space and time; and last but least how elementary tools of the craft were used to create something visually appealing and all together intellectually compelling.
Where I'm concerned this goes to show that old school filmmakers remain the true masters of cinema.
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I enjoyed the cross cultural elements of the film. There was a time, in my ignorance, when I thought all East Asian cultures were more or less the same. I have since broadened my horizons, but it was still quite interesting to see that China was just as much a cultural novelty for Dong-ha, a Korean, as it would've been for me, a Westerner.
What's more interesting is that a great portion of this film is in English because Dong-ha doesn't speak Chinese and May doesn't speak Korean. I must admit it was a bit weird for me to hear them speak English so I muted the sound and simply read the subtitles. It's not that their English was poor. Actually, they were as good as anyone can speak a foreign language, but their accents were really heavy. I found that it distracted me from the emotion of the story and the performances.
I'm thankful this movie wasn’t too emotionally draining. The few times it reverted to more somber themes, those were quickly overruled by one comedic scene or another.
Dong-ha and May had mad on-screen chemistry. There were some very steamy kisses in this movie, and May was a full participant in all the action! No shocked, open-eyed reaction here. For once I can't complain about the intimacy between the characters being fake. My only wish was that those kisses were more frequent and longer! haha :)
Overall, I have very few complaints. This was a simple, but satisfying story with good, subtle performances from a pair of very attractive leads. I doubt I've ever seen Jung Woo-sung look so handsome on screen, not even in A Moment to Remember (and let’s face it, the man was pretty darn hot in that movie!). The ending was unnecessary. I would have preferred a different outcome, one that was a bit more straightforward and less open, but it didn't spoil the movie for me. It's clear that the director just wanted to be a jerk and yank our chain.
I highly recommend Season of Good Rain as the perfect date movie. It’s a light romantic drama that’ll make you reminisce about when you first met your love, give you many reasons to make out and offer you something light-hearted to debate about after it’s done. Enjoy!
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The cast was great. In particular Lee Dong-gun in the role of the emotionally detached workaholic. Veteran actress Uhm Jung-hwa doesn’t always convince me with her efforts and this time around she almost did, but not quite. At least there were no hammy, over the top performances, from any of the cast members, to grate on the nerves. The bond that developed between the second couple stirred my emotions.
Overall a movie well worth the watch if you like sophisticated, mature dramas that make an attempt to demystify the complexity of romantic relationships.
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Brother Beat tells the story of a Tokyo housewife and her 3 sons. After her husband passed away she was left to raise 3 rumbustious boys all on her own, but after the kids reached a certain age this mom hung up her apron, leaving all the household chores to the boys.
The boys carried out their duties with varying degrees of dedication, but still, men doing house chores in Japan is a novelty to me so I appreciated their efforts with awe.
Mom was an offbeat, carefree character & while you're likely to see her face if you look up the definition of slacker mom, I actually think she did her sons a service by teaching them to be self-sufficient at home and not leave all the household chores to her or their future wives. To date I have never seen a Japanese man help out his wife/girlfriend in the kitchen (or lift a finger around the house). Granted I haven't seen that many Japanese dramas or movies but it was nice to see this occur in Brother Beat.
I'm no feminist, but I'm certainly for mutual respect and equal treatment between the sexes & here in this drama I think a fair balance was achieved in so much as can be achieved in a traditional, patriarchal society like Japan.
Moreover, the girlfriend of one brother in particular may strike you as your typical docile Japanese belle, seen but not heard, but nothing could be farther from the truth. I liked how she stood up for herself when he passed his place. It gave me the confidence to believe that in a traditional relationship the woman need not be a doormat.
Brother Beat was just an overall great slice of life drama, man. A revolving door of themes were explored, from lighter stuff to more heavier fare, but it never got dark. Everyone played their roles really well. That positive, upbeat, feel good vibe was maintained throughout the series and that's why I loved it. I almost couldn't believe I was watching a Japanese series. Usually melancholy, sadness, depressing worldviews are staples in Asian cinema, particularly Japan's, but not this time around. This was just pure enjoyment and escapism. The episodes flew by in a jiffy, leaving you wanting more.
It was refreshing to watch a drama where young people acted as you'd expect them to. Especially when it comes to young men, you know they're having sex and they didn't skirt the issue in this drama. This is something the Japanese is decidedly better at dealing with than the Koreans who tend to frustrate me with their innuendo and allusions when it comes to sex. It's like the big pink elephant in the room no body wants to acknowledge, lol.
As usual, though, the lack of kisses was a disappointment. They were pretty much non-existent and when they did occur it was your standard frozen kiss. No passion, no engagement, no nothing, just ... blah. Sigh. Aside from that, though, this drama was flawless entertainment, but I guess you can't have your cake and eat it too.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Brother Beat to anyone. It's the best family drama I've seen to date. The Sakurai family is a wild, but great bunch. Mom put a wonderful spin on the typical Japanese housewife archtype and her rough housing with her sons is quite adorable to watch. Last but certainly not least, female viewers will be particularly pleased with the brothers. They're certified eye candy, esp the older two. I mean seriously. THEY.ARE.FINE!!! :-)
If you don't watch this drama, you're really missing out!
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