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Ueto Aya once again brought Azumi to life
I don't know what to say with "Azumi 2: Death or Love". As the title suggest, and if you've watched the first movie, this is a sad ending for the story of Azumi.Movies with sequels usually fail to live up with the original film, Azumi 2 is one of those rare sequels that was equal to or even surpassed the first film. The production was great and the background music were at the right scenes. The story was great, now that the background or introduction was out of the way, this sequel concentrated on Azumi and her hidden conflict inside: Death or Love.
Both movies are highly recommended. In fact, these two movies are closely tied-in together, it was as good as a single film. I'm glad they did not follow this up with another sequel "Azumi 3" because that would more likely not be at par with "Azumi" and "Azumi 2", though of course it would be great to see Azumi in action again.
And this is where I give Ueto Aya the highest praises, she was able to pull the exact same fierceness and one-mindedness when her character is in killing-mode. She did not force it, it was natural as if she was Azumi. Aya was born to bring Azumi alive.
Another perfect 10.
P.S. Time period aside, it would be an epic match if Azuri and Hitokiri Battousai met.
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Sweet, lovely, and touchy live-action film adaptation
I wasn't aware Eiko Kadono's novel "Kiki's Delivery Service" had a live-action film adaptation in 2014. I love this movie, it's sweet, lovely, and touchy. Even though the CG for the baby hippo was not so good, overall that can be easily overlooked because of the acting, story, production, and proper setting.I hope there won't be another live-action adaptation of "Kiki's Delivery Service" because this 2014 film is it.
Highly recommended for the family!
10 out of 10 stars from me.
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Good enough to watch
Based on the 2019 script by Matt Naylor, this Korean live-action version was a good adaptation. There were some scenes which were far too similar with another Western apocalyptic film released a few years ago (I can not recall the title) in this version that is not in the American version.If you want to watch the American version based on the same 2019 script by Matt Naylor, look for the movie entitled "Alone" (2020).
* American version based on the same script: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alone_(2020_horror_film)
* Korean version based on the same script: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alive_(2020_film)
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Relive your first love ?
Architecture101 is a Korean movie about first loves and making decisions. This 2012 film stars Tae Woong Uhm and Ga In Han as the adult "Seung Min Lee" and "Seo Yun Yang", and Je Hoon Lee and Suzy Bae as the younger "Seung Min" and "Seo Yun" who first met in college in Architecture 101.While this received high ratings in Korea, it was underrated abroad where Asian drama fans are always expecting deep romance and giggles. This drama is beyond that, it tackles our "first loves" when we were young, the hopes, the dreams, that feeling of having first fallen in love with someone we totally did not expect but in the end it did not work. Later in life, when we have moved on and our paths crossed again with our first love, it's all about how we handle those feelings and making adult decisions, very hard adult decisions which can make or break relationships and our future.
Architecture 101 is for adults who have faced and went through life and the challenges it threw toward us. I do not recommend this to young adults and teenagers as most of them will never appreciate the beauty of the story. Yet highly recommended for anyone who wants to capture the long lost hope, beautiful smiles, and sweet memories that only a first love can ever give.
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Not a Romantic Comedy but a Family Relationship Drama
First of all, this series does not qualify as a RomCom (Romantic Comedy) it is a Drama about family relationships. Yes, there are comedy scenes here and there but those scenes were not even 2% of the 1-hour 50 episodes. With that clear, let's begin with the review.Review proper:
1. The story. At first it appeared that this is a story about Lee Soon Shin (played by IU) and Shin Joon Ho (played by Jo Jung Suk), the poster, synopsis, and first few episodes were about them. However, as we enter deeper in the series, it became clear that the series was not about them but about the family relationships.
Shin Joon Ho, and in particular Lee Soon Shin, were only used as an anchor to be able to tell the amazing stories of each of the "supporting characters". While this was good overall, without watching the last few episodes, the stories were all over the place. There were too many stories told it was no longer possible to identify which stories qualified as "main" and which were "side" stories.
All 50 episodes should be watched completely to fully appreciate this series. A series about family relationships. The bond that we share with each other. The ups and downs we go through. The love that still triumphs over resentment and hate.
"You Are The Best" is about "YOU" (yes, YOU the reader) being the best because you fight despite all the trials and tribulations that comes in our lives.
I'm giving it an 8 out of 10 stars.
2. Acting/cast. The cast were perfect. The acting they gave to the show were natural, it was as if watching the life of a neighbour or our own. There were no unrealistic acting common in other drama series which is a distraction when watching. Special mention is Kim Hwan Hee for her superb acting, it is rare to see a young kid with that kind of talent in acting. Another special mention is Lee Seul Bi, she should have been given a more active role and more dialogues as she is capable to give the proper emotions and expressions need for her line.
All of them combined, it's 9.5 out of 10 stars.
3. Music. It is not easy to grade this one because the emotion-filled drama is far more memorable and powerful. The music were mainly used to be the scene. Meaning, when the music is removed, the scene will not stand on its own. The impact wouldn't be there. The emotion reaction would have been lacking. It would have been better if the scenes with the music can stand on its own--without the music background--because this would've allowed the music to pull out a far more powerful emotional response.
I'm giving this 7 out of 10 stars.
Conclusion:
Overall, I'm giving the series 8 out of 10 stars. It was a great show and it was very moving. The multiple main stories are relatable and memorable, especially its focus on family relationships instead of a romcom or romance between two love birds. While having multiple main stories was good, it diminished the focus and impact of the main story between the two main characters. It was also slow at first and took ten to twenty episodes to reach the meat of the main plot. Regardless, the acting given by all the actors and actresses were so good and natural that overall it is worth watching again.
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Powerful stories about life and family
If I'm going to pick one thing about this series as a review, it's the flashbacks. They showed us the challenges of living, be it with special powers or as an ordinary human being.And then they touched on the relationships of adults.
Then parents and their kids.
It is very touching. Every single episode with flashbacks is very touching. The director knows how to create the scenes, and what sequence it should be to capture the audience and deliver the message the writer wants.
Forget about superpowers. The flashbacks are more powerful and meaningful than their superpowers.
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This review may contain spoilers
Ending explained
Great acting and a good plot.Spoiler from hereon, ending explained.
Scene A: Child Wife controlled child husband.
Scene B: Mom told Wife that it was her plan all along.
= Child Wife and Mom schemed everything, and Child Wife told Mom she has to erase her own memories so their plan will work. Once the plan comes to fruition, she will regain the memories.
Scene 3: Child number 11 was controlled by the child wife to do exactly, well, the plan.
Conclusion: Since they were kids, child wife controlled everything.
a. Child husband cutting the ear of Number 11. Both guys were already under her control, they were testing how long her control could stay intact.
b. Her husband's father was no doubt under her control as well. This way, after the child's wife erases her memories, the "escape plan" will work without a hitch.
c. The rest is history.
Goal, or rather goals:
1. Create a real family bond. It's the reverse of terrorism and secret agent trainings where cells only have a fake family bond. Their plan was to create a real bond that no one can ever find a loophole. In other words, the perfect [sleeping] cell and operatives.
2. Teach them self-control. A wild agent is useless if they don't learn self-control. All of them need it, including the two kids. Noticed how it always revolved around self-control?
3. Test the wife's power. Her power isn't only about creating a false memory/experience, it's mind control. Can the victims resist? Her husband did not. Number 11 did not. Her self-mind control also worked so well.
4. Train the kids. They are far stronger than her and her husband, and thus far more dangerous if they don't have a family bond. This was proven with the female twin. Without a family bond, she was a ticking bomb.
5. Prove that the wife's plan "Family Matters" is actually worth it. Which, by now, we know it was worth it.
😉
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This review may contain spoilers
Learning. Personal Growth. Building Lasting Relationships.
The Season 01 season finale was very good. They balanced well the different things that happens in a hospital especially on New Years Eve.- 2 deaths
- 3 newly borns
- 4 first-year residents growing and learning
With surprise comedies and a "karmic" conclusion. And best of all, the mainstays were all present (not like in S01E11, one mainstay was absent).
However, as is Korean drama tradition, it was written in a way that it truly ended, not leaving anything for a possible new season. It was so perfect, you wouldn't ask for more as it brought proper closures and immense satisfaction.
Still, I do hope there'll be a Season 02 because I like the entire cast and their acting. They did not outshine one another, instead, they complemented each other's acting. A weakness of one actor was hidden because of another actor filling in. Was it intentional? Maybe, maybe not, and that's what made the cast awesome. Who cares if they're support or main or a guest? They were all there to have fun and bring joy to the audience.
Final words. We want Season 02!
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A different level of drama.
This is a different level of drama. So many interconnected things happening at the same time. If one falls, everything will unravel.You don't know who's a friend and who's a foe. Anyone can backstab anyone at any time, anywhere.
All characters have their own agenda. They all want something. They are doing things for themselves. Even characters that appear to be “holy”, they have something deep inside driving them.
Everyone is very calculating and patient. No one's moving for the kill. I can't wait for the episodes when they are all going to make their move and go for the kill. It's going to be bloody. Maybe literally bloody.
Also, you don't know who you want to hate and who you want to support. Good and evil isn't clear-cut.
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Trigger (트리거): An Emotional Firepower
Netflix's «Trigger» («트리거») is a powerful and emotionally charged Kdrama. It plunges the viewer into the dangers of gun violence, clearly aligned with the anti-gun perspective. But while the drama is hard-edged, it also feels one-sided—warning without room for complexity, painting humanity in stark black and white.From my vantage point in the Philippines—a nation with both legal gun ownership and active enforcement—«Trigger» («트리거») comes off as a closed monologue, not a dialogue. It speaks loud but misses the important points of the debate.
## 🇵🇭 The Philippine Model: Licensed, Regulated, Enforced
In the Philippines, civilian gun ownership is allowed—but only under strict licensing, background and psychological evaluations, mandatory training, renewal processes, and active enforcement. Recent data shows around 10,936 gun-related incidents between 2022–2024, with 5,172 cases in 2022, 4,956 in 2023, and 808 so far in early 2024, with a population of 110 million.
Total gun deaths in the Philippines stood at about 9,268 in 2025, ranking it 7th globally in total firearms deaths—but per capita, its death rate is around 8 per 100,000 people (≈ 0.008%). That is lower than many Latin American countries. Yet mass shootings—like those devastating attacks the US has suffered—are non-existent, thanks to cultural restraints and responsibilities in Philippine society—often referred to as "hiyâ" (shame), which discourages acts that dishonour their family and their community.
## Contrasts from the Extremes
### 🇺🇲 United States
- Gun ownership: roughly 120 firearms per 100 people
- Firearm deaths: about 11 per 100,000 (~0.011%)
- Mass shootings: frequent, often high-fatality events
### 🇰🇷 South Korea
- Gun death rate: around 0.05 per 100,000 (~0.00005%)
- Civilian ownership: virtually none; sporting firearms stored at police stations; strong penalties for violations
### 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Gun death rate: ~0.26 per 100,000 (~0.00026%)
- Strict ban & enforcement, but illicit firearms still circulate underground
## Balancing the Landscape
- Country: Firearm Deaths per 100k - Ownership Model - Mass Shootings - Notes
- Philippines: ~8 (0.008%) - Licensed, regulated, enforced - Extremely rare - Cultural checks (hiyâ), background vetting
- United States: ~11 (0.011%) - Permissive, minimal federal control - Frequent - High suicides and homicides, mass violence
- South Korea: ~0.05 (0.00005%) - Near-total prohibition - Almost none - No legal middle, possible hidden guns
- United Kingdom: ~0.26 (0.00026%) - Strict ban & enforcement - Very rare - Underground illegal guns still exist
## «Trigger» («트리거») Does Not Offer a Middle Ground to the Debate
«Trigger» («트리거») presents the horror of gun violence with cinematic precision—but it does not acknowledge our middle path. It portrays gun ownership as inherently corrupt, without recognising that responsible regulation, when paired with cultural values and enforcement, can save lives rather than cost them.
In the Philippines, despite having thousands of guns, we do not live in fear of random school massacres, revenge shootings, or indiscriminate public carnage. We do have gun-related crime—but proportionally, considering population, it is not catastrophic. Our system emphasises control, renewal, education, and community accountability. Our tragedies are usually political or clan-based in nature—extremely rarely the kind of mass-target violence that fuels global anti-gun panic.
«Trigger» («트리거») warns of a world without control—but it does not offer hope. It scares—but it does not suggest there is another way. Meanwhile, here in our islands, we live that balance every day: neither extremes nor ideology, but structure, culture, and conscience.
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- Image: Trigger (트리거), a 2025 Kdrama from Netflix was used under the fair use principle.
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A setup that wandered a little too far
«The Witch 2: The Other One» (《마녀 2》) is the second entry in «The Witch» trilogy, and this time we follow the younger twin sister of Gu Jayun (구자윤), the central figure in the first film.This sequel expands the world a bit more. We learn what happened after the shutdown of the experiment, and the consequences of trying to erase everything—projects, subjects, and all. Just like in Part 1, it still touches on the question: what happens when you create a superhuman and take away their right to choose?
But unlike Part 1, this time the film leaned heavier into the action. There were more fight scenes, more effects, and more explosions. The problem is, it also meant less of the balance that made the first film stand out. The pacing leaned more into style than substance. For example, the opening road sequence had special effects that felt out of place, almost too rough to be in a movie like this. Oddly, the final act had much better visuals, which made the earlier scenes feel even more disconnected.
The writing also took a different direction. The younger twin was supposed to be the main focus—but for most of the film, it felt like the spotlight was elsewhere. She had significantly less screen time than the supporting characters, and the plot seemed more interested in following side arcs than actually introducing her properly. With a total runtime of 137 minutes, there was more than enough time to build her up, but they didn’t.
That said, the actress did a good job, especially for someone still fairly new. She held her own despite the limited exposure. But again, she wasn’t really given much to work with, which was a missed opportunity.
Production-wise, the quality is still there—sets, props, locations—all were consistent with what one would expect from a Korean film of this scale. No complaints there.
In the end, this film serves more as a setup for Part 3 than a full standalone entry. It introduced new pieces, but didn’t fully connect them yet. Hopefully, the final chapter brings it all together.
9 stars from me. Still solid, just not as focused.
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License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC By-SA) 4.0 International
By: Yohan Yukiya Sese Cuneta 사요한 (YourOnly.One)
Date: 2025-05-29
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This review may contain spoilers
I'm not ready for this to end, any fanfiction?
Wow. The wrap-up wasn't rushed. Usually plots like this end up suddenly in the finale episode, leaving you hanging and wondering, "that was it?" But not this one. They even chose to have it an open-ending to let fans formulate their own conclusion (or fanfiction).10 stars from me!
Now all I need is to find fanfiction to continue the open-ended finale. I can see where it will go but that's my own story. I want to know what other fans have in mind. Any volunteers? It doesn't have to be long. It can be a short-story, more like a sidestory that we wished was in the show but it won't fit the overall plot.
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This review may contain spoilers
Once again, Kim Tae Ri has proven why she's a Rank 1 actor. Special mention was her portrayal of the ghost desperate to live yet Tae Ri's character was forcing her to burn the final key object to banish the spirit.I played that scene multiple times because I can't get enough of the out of this world acting by Kim Tae Ri. I felt compassion on the ghost in that scene. She only wanted to live because she was wronged when she was still alive. And her very strong desire to live, by trying to fight back San Young (Tae Ri's character), was delivered by Tae Ri in a very powerful way. I think Tae Ri's theater acting training and exposure greatly helped her at that moment. She knew how to act the ghost's desires and desperation to live without overdoing it.
Of course, I also commend the director and the cameraman for perfectly capturing that moment, up close and personal. It magnified what Tae Ri wants the audience to feel: this ghost, she was a victim, while it doesn't justify the ghost's murders, it is us humans who turned her that way.
Which is true. Many of humans only think of their own desires and greed, and doesn't care if another human being turn evil because of their actions and words. Yes, we cannot blame others for our own actions, but we also cannot deny the fact that we are who we are because of our experiences.
For me, the moral of this story is that we should always strive to do good. If you truly want to be selfish, then keep your mouth shut instead of speaking hurtful words behind other people's backs. For example, San Young realised how she was killing herself in the final episode because of how people said hurtful words, like that scene with the convenient store manager. If one did not notice, Tae Ri showed her "evil face" at that time, and she was not yet influenced by the ghost then.
Many of us probably reacted that way too after hearing hurtful words from people. Our faces probably showed how we want "kill" them for looking down on us as if us struggling in life was our fault (when it was just what we're given). Or, like it was a sin to have been born in that situation. And that moment was when San Young, without her knowledge until the final episode, that she started to slowly kill herself.
I've been there, too, without me realising what I'm doing. You gave up. You just try to live every day, but you no longer have any desire to live. You are just waiting for death to collect you, and you'll even welcome death with open arms. And the ghost that possessed San Young, she was right. San Young was wasting her life, and she (the ghost) wants to live.
The show may have been about ghosts and suicide. But if we look deeper into it, it is sending us a message that we should strive to live no matter what. Why? Because there were people whose lives ended not out of their own will, rather, they were forced to it. They were victims.
So, to you and me, this show is a strong and powerful message. Fight to live. It is hard. I know, I am struggling myself. I want to give up. I had enough of this life. But, let's fight to live another day. Let's show this world, let's show this evil society that we have today, that we can. If we know people whose lives ended early, either through suicide or they were murdered, let's live for them. They have desires and dreams, let's live for them, and maybe, through us, our society will become better.
Thank you, Kim Tae Ri, to the cast, the staff, the director, the writer, for this very timely story and message. I hope you'll win awards for this, you 100% deserve to grab all the awards.
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You don't have to imagine you are with them, the editing, camera shots, the way they talk, laugh, you are easily immersed. It's like playing and having fun with your family and friends. There are teasing, there are jokes. It's casual enough to feel there is bond.
You wouldn't even think they're filming a variety show. You wouldn't even think they're doing it because it is their job, and it is expected of them.
Even if you remove the cameras, it will be the same fun and bonding moments.
That's make this show amazing and worth watching for almost 2 hours every week.
Keep giving us this natural laughter and real bonding. More power.
(And I hope you visit the Philippines, too. Drop me a line too, I want to meet you all haha.)
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In memory of the original 10
This is actually good! It's slow at first, building the story of the group of assassins. Then it picks up and showed us amazing sword choreography. Great acting by Ueto Aya and even though she looks beautiful and pretty, she was able to exude her character's fierceness and one-mindedness of a true assassin. I can not help but compare her to Battousai whenever Azumi the Assassin shows up.In memory of the original 10, and the perfectness of the production, story, and cast, I give this a perfect 10.
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