It took me 3 weeks to finish, which I know is very slow compared to a lot of people. But after 98 episodes, you feel like you were living with these people too. I'll never forget this show or these people.
The ending was very moving and truthful. I never cry when watching movies but I came close. But if you’re expecting a typical soap opera romance feel good ending, you might be disappointed. But if you prefer your art and entertainment to reflect reality and to teach you something about real life, you might love it.
This masterpiece is slow and difficult, but worth your patience. Also, after you finish it, I recommend you immediately start from the beginning and rewatch it, like I did. This is because of the jumbled chronology and subtle clues in the early parts of the film, which become significant only after you've seen the later parts of the movie. To me, this movie dramatizes the profound truth that human behavior and motivations are overdetermined and unknowable. Not many movies do that.
Absolutely heartbreaking. Perfectly acted and directed. Makes you cry without manipulating you. Instead, it's restrained and artful, like a Mizoguchi movie. This gets my highest recommendation.