This review may contain spoilers
And Finally done...
OK.....I finally broke down and subscribed to Youku streaming service (already subscribe to Viki and iQIYI) specifically because I am a HUGE Chen Fei Yu fan and was super excited to watch Eat, Run, Love, his first modern drama in a while...After struggling through 24 episodes ( soooo disappointed in this drama...😩)...Today, logging in to view the newest episode, I see the final episodes have a label marked "EXPRESS" and found out I need to buy the last 4 episodes???!!!!! I am already regretting signing up for Youku because of this lackluster drama...and have worked my way through the 24 episodes to date (ONLY because I am not a quitter) and they have the nerve to tell me I have to pay more to see this series out?...
No Frickin' Way Youku....I'll wait for the episodes to drop for free for VIP members...lolz...
I can't remember when I have watched such a tedious drama! And let me first say having watched Chen Fei Yu in L&P and two wonderful movies: Yesterday Once More and My Best Summer he is truly a favorite actor of mine and has a real talent, that said, I don't know that a.n.y.o.n.e. could have done a.n.y.t.h.i.n.g. with this one dimensional character!
I felt the leads had little chemistry, the dialogues were stilted and incredibly repetitious, the plot itself a "same old-same old" drama with a storyline that was on repeat at almost every episode (during the first few episodes I kept hoping the story would get a bit more complex but gave up on that by the time I got midway through). I was honestly WAAAY more vested in the secondary couples ( Song Ming Mei & Qin Chang and Xu Chen Xi & Wang Yi) than the lead couple. The lead couple: Gan Yang was pretty much depthless and Ding Zhi Tong mostly sour at least up to Episode 24, and honestly, if I have to hear her say one more time how she loves him but can't love him or hear him yell her name one more time I'll scream...
Hopefully Youku will release the last four episodes for members soon, without the added cost, so I can put this dud drama to bed...
P.S. Still a big Fei Yu fan and will continue to keep my fingers crossed he'll either find a new agent who can pick better dramas that suit him more or has another better modern drama already in the works....
UPDATE: Deciding NOT to pay extra for any of the final episodes, I was finally able to put this show to rest today (4/29) with Episode 28...It literally roared through the various storylines of this drama so no loose ends were left, lolz...But/And, to give it credit, as I always want to be fair...the wedding itself in the last 8 minutes of this drama was handled beautifully...not enough to save ERL for me but at least it ended on a better note than it had through the 27 other episodes...
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HOW DO I MOVE ON FROM THIS!!!
OMG...It has been a while since I've watched a drama that was this PERFECT!!!To say it was worth the wait is an understatement!
So how do I move on from this???!!!
An amazing series that had me addicted from Episode 1!
The Soundtrack will make you swoon...
The casting ABSOLUTELY PERFECT...
The storylines amazing...
THIS IS ONE FOR THE AGES.
Everything about this drama is perfect, the music, the casting, the storylines, the production itself...just amazing!
Watching it, I was truly drawn into this beautiful complex story.
I thought the acting of Zhang Ruo Nan as Wen Yi Fan was superb in this complex role. Portraying a character innocent yet flawed and damaged was quite a feat! She was so very believable! A young woman with a past of crippling encounters with males, tentatively opening up and trusting her lover was so beautifully handled by her!
Bai Jing Ting as Sang Yan was the perfect combination of bravado and fragility together in his portrayal of Wen Yi Fan's first love/protector. Both of them, as innocent truly ""first time" lovers was, I can't think of a better word, then precious.
The secondary couple, Edward Chen as Su Hao An (my first encounter with him and I think he is fantastic!) . And the wonderful Zhang Miao Yi as Zhong Si Qiao (who I watched in my very first Asian drama: "When I Fly Towards You "...so she holds a special place in my heart) were really wonderful and I found myself almost as invested in their storyline as in the Sang Yan and Wen Yi Fan story!
Where many dramas rush the end/resolution of their story, I LOVE LOVE LOVE that The First Frost took the time to give us two beautiful episodes after the "conflict" was resolved to just develop the end to their story...creating such a satisfying feeling of closure to this drama ....perfect!!
Kudos to the director, writers and cinematographer for gifting us with this amazing series...it is one I will savor for a long time, probably rewatch many times in the future and for sure buy the DVD when it is available!
A MASTERPIECE!!!!
Do NOT miss this!!
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Sweet and Interesting!
Just finished The Best Thing, and it reminded me a lot of Love Me Love My Voice in the sense that it is truly a sweet love story that is relatively angst-free. A "feel-good" drama...that may have had me shedding a few tears here and there, but mostly I was smiling over their unfolding love story. I also found it interesting that each of these two dramas had underlying references to historic Chinese traditions...LMLMV's story revolved around Traditional Chinese Music, while The Best Thing revolved around the art of Traditional Chinese medicine, giving both dramas an added dimension and depth.While some have said Zhang Ling He's acting was just so-so in this drama, I disagree and thought he played his character, He Su Ye, perfectly...as a kind, maybe a bit shy, no-nonsense, dedicated and knowledgeable TCM doctor, who could be sweetly teasing but was always loyal to a fault and full of love for Xu Ruo Han's character, Shen Xi Fan.
And speaking of Xu Ruo Han I thought she did another wonderful job with her character, Shen Xi Fan, in The Best Thing. She has always been a favorite of mine, ever since The Forbidden Flower...and she didn't disappoint in this drama either! She always plays her characters so naturally and unforced, and manages to be both sensual and innocent in all I've watched her in.
I also thought the supporting roles were beautifully cast, and I loved all the characters, especially the always wonderful actor Li Jian Yi, who plays He Su Ye's grandfather.
And finally, I ESPECIALLY loved all the information integrated into this drama about TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine)...so fascinating that I found myself often pausing the episode to do a quick search on my phone about the plants and recipes used in this drama. And at each Episode opening a medicinal plant was featured with it definition and uses....GENIUS!
So all said, The Best Thing is truly a lovely drama...I usually like my dramas darker, but sometimes a light satisfying drama like The Best Thing is...dare I say...Just what the doctor ordered. ;-)
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...And it really was Sweet!
A sweet relatively angst free romance and quite a surprise for me!I am not a fan of Chinese Historical dramas and truly never watch them so Luo Yun Xi, a huge name in Chinese Historical dramas but not so much in modern dramas, is relatively unknown to me. And what a pleasant surprise he was!
In this rom-com he was the perfect amount of corny cuteness paired with quite a talent at intimate scenes to keep me happily watching. I will definitely be checking out the few other modern dramas he's done.
All in All this is a good romp in the Rom-com world and ticked most of my boxes:
1. The lead and second lead couples were both well paired with relatively simple but good storylines.
2. The Intimate scenes were full of good chemistry and definitely no dead fish kisses.
3. The intrigue was well developed... *maybe a bit too well developed?
4. There was not too much "misunderstandings" between leads... *maybe the 2nd couple's inability to "connect" went on too long?
To address the asterisks in my "ticked boxes"....
Firstly CDramas seem to have this affinity for massive amounts of episodes...and I am reminded of the old adage "quality over quantity". This is just one reason I tend to watch KDramas over Chinese. In Love Is Sweet (like In the new Our Generation or Eat Run Love) there seem to be so many unneeded "filler" episodes or over development of the business intrigue story arc...my suggestion? Maybe shorten up and tighten up some of these dramas for a better paced and a more absorbing story. They don't all have to be 36+ episodes!
And secondly, another pet peeve and hair-pulling problem I find with some rom-coms is the amount of misunderstanding between couples. I suppose to keep the "will they-won't they" going and it might even be tied into the large number of episodes demanded....but for me this is totally unnecessary and ends up becoming, rather than playful, cute and funny, an exercise in frustration.
Love Is Sweet does have a few of these problems...it really could have been 5 or 6 episodes shorter as I found myself wandering around streaming services to see what else was out there or checking my emails when the drama delved deeper and deeper into the business intrigue...and the amount of misunderstanding between the second couple made me a wee bit nuts but in truth neither problem was too over the top or enough to stop me from watching. So all in all for a fun relatively light rom-com with some great chemistry and kissing scenes definitely give this drama a try!
Oh, and a funny aside: To add credence to the many comments about how good the intimate scenes were between the lead characters, I have read that in an interview when asked about the very popular intimacy in this drama, Luo Yunxi was said to have mentioned that he secretly studied videos of kissing scenes that Bai Lu had sent him. Bai Lu, being a huge KDrama fan, helped him turn into the excellent kisser he was in Love Is Sweet ...........so a big thanks to Bai Lu...
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Hold On To Your Emotions!
Want to start this review with a suggestion....Go out and buy stock in Kleenex tissues before you begin!
What an amazing drama this is...and for me it was waaaay under the radar! I only found it as I was truly in between episodes on other dramas and wasn't finding anything to fill the space. And as I've always liked Ji Chang Wook, I think he is a wonderful and versatile actor I thought I'd give it a shot and he truly does not disappoint in this drama.
The supporting cast do just that, they are the backbone of this drama and I don't think any one of them was a miscast.
Having just gone through hospice with my husband this drama's individual stories were cathartic and heart wrenchingly beautiful.
I really can't say a bad word about If You Wish Upon Me, truth be told, it will touch anyone who has a heart's heart.
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What A Wonderful Surprise!
While waiting for more episodes to drop in a new drama I want to watch, I decided to try Romance Is A Bonus Book...and oh my what a wonderful surprise this magical drama is! And a "bonus" for me because the story takes place in the world of book publishing where I worked for many years as a book designer it was also fun for me to watch and remember what life in the publishing world was/is like!Bravo to how well Korean Dramas portray the May/December romance stories...stories like Something In The Rain, Encounter, Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol, and She Would Never Know, etc., were all truly satisfying dramas dealing with the younger man older woman scenerio with such poise and class. And now I have one more to add to this genre...Romance Is A Bonus Book really tells a beautiful love story between 2 people regardless of age and circumstance. And it is a story of love that develops and endures through years of friendship .
Cha Eun Ho, wonderfully portrayed by Lee Jong Suk is a centered calm mature-beyond-his-years young man who has known and loved Kang Dan Yi, a mature woman who has maintained a childlike forthrightness and wonder even through some pretty harrowing life experiences, for many years. She is played beautifully by Lee Na Young. They truly are a perfect foil for each other...a perfect Yin/Yang, each complimenting the other...so satisfying to watch them come together as a couple.
There is just enough realistic angst to keep you interested and cheering for the many couples in this drama without rolling your eyes in frustration.
Definitely a drama I am so very happy to have discovered and will absolutely rewatch many times...
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WTF???!!!!!
So I absolutely agree with 90% of the reviews here...How sad that such a potentially cute drama totally sabotaged itself in the final episode!
Episode 16 starts OK...no one knows he is very sick (except maybe Mr. Kim), so we still sort of assume he'll come back "cured" thus we have lots of filler flashbacks and filler interactions with other characters giving us the effect of time passing.
Then comes the pivotal Christmas party/recital/proposal scene and we are given a few major hints: One that Jun is going to be "late" and B) we can't help but notice the continually sad face of Mr. Kim at this "happy occasion".
Hummmm I wonder why, lolz...
By this time, I'm guessing most of us probably realize that something "went terribly wrong"...Then to seal the deal we get Jun's puffy-eyed black-clad "mom" appearing...oh-oh...Another piece of the episode is full of mourning and life going on...
Then 5 mins to the end (at best!) Jun reappears????!!!!
WTF.....
With only the weak single line from Jun that he"wanted to be totally cured before returning"...we are supposed to be satisfied with that???!!! Then why the hell did Jun's mom do that whole number?
I felt like the director realized he only had a few more feet of film left so had to wrap it up quickly.
I truly feel one more episode would have totally changed the rating on this little drama...allowing for a bit of time explaining why they faked his "death", then a bit of time showing us their life going on once he is back and the ride off into the sunset. Then this drama would have been wrapped up in a pretty package and my rating would have dramatically changed.....so again.....WTF???!!!
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ANOTHER MASTER WORK!
This is another incredible example of Gong Yoo's capacity to fearlessly tackle and beautifully portray more complexity in characters and stories than most actors out there. His other is the amazing new drama The Trunk.For me, and many I am sure, he truly stands out in the world of Korean actors.
A Man And A Woman tackles a lot of complex and sensitive issues so well, without bogging us down with extraneous fillers. It is almost shocking in it's raw presentation of the essential story...giving one no where to hide from the intense feelings and emotional rollercoaster this drama is.
This is really an amazing work...one NOT to miss...and already added to my collection of DVDs!
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What a wonderfully touching drama!
Oh My!!! What a sweet drama Record Of Youth is!I'd had it on my list for a long time and just never watched it....but after watching the magical Park Bo-gum in Encounter I decided to move it up to the top of my to-watch list.
I was a bit nervous as I don't usually go for "sad endings", and had read a review or an article that said the main couple split....but I was extremely happy to see that the actually end leaves the door wide open...(now I'll keep my fingers crossed for a Record Of Youth 2!!)
I thought the drama dealt beautifully with the angst of growing up and finding your way in the world, it also dealt beautifully with the different styles of parenting and how it affects children and it dealt beautifully with friendships and how relationships develop and change.
The show was incredibly cast, all were perfect in their roles, but I want to call out Park Bo-gum, Park So Dam, and Byeon Woo Seok for truly portraying their characters and their character's complexities so well.
This is a series I will probably buy on DVD as it is one I will likely watch over and over and won't want to lose access to it! I absolutely recommend watching this magical drama!
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A Profound Story With The Biggest Heart
In this million miles an hour consumer-driven world we live in, how important it is to take a moment and remember what truly matters in life is not what we accumulate or what we achieve but rather the people in our lives and how we've lived and loved.When Life Gives You Tangerines is an achingly beautiful ride that reminds us of just that...that life's moments of extraordinary happiness or profound love or heartbreaking sadness...it's moments of quiet contentment, or explosive intensity, moments in life, that can feel like eternities or moments that are so fleeting as to have never been...ultimately those moments are the riches in our lives, those are what truly matter, those are what we'll carry with us to the end.
If ever there was a part absolutely written for actor Park Bo Gum, this is it...his beautiful face that so heartbreakingly bears witness without words to Gwan Sik's quiet strength and unwavering lifelong love for Ae Sun is so poignantly beautiful. As a viewer, I was so invested in their life together I spent each episode either weeping tears of joy or tears of heartbreak. These magical 16 episodes exquisitely remind us of what a roller coaster ride life really is.
Kudos to the casting director for their perfect eye in casting Park Bo Gum and IU, as the younger adult pair and Park Hae Joon and Moon Soo Ri as the older pair. The seamless aging of Gwan Sik and Ae Sun couldn't have happened without the tremendous talent of these 4 actors. And truly, in When Life Gives You Tangerines there was no cast member who didn't give an amazing and memorable performance creating this masterpiece.
The Korean title, 폭싹 속았수다, has a specific cultural context. It is a common phrase in the Jeju dialect of the Korean language and translates to “you have worked hard” or “thank you for your hard work.” Life is hard work, often we might feel with little return, but like the cast of When Life Gives You Tangerines, in the end, the bittersweet realization of life itself is that it "never promised us a rose garden"...but through it all teaches us that "when life gives you tangerines, make tangerine tea".
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What An Incredible Surprise!!!
What a magically surprise this drama was for me....
I was in between dramas and searching for something to fill my time and this popped up. For me "superpowers" is usually a red flag, so not into that BUT Atypical Family deals with it so beautifully and it is such an integral part of the story I LOVED it! The acting was wonderful, especially Jang Ki-yong, who I'd never seen before...but you can bet I'll go looking for more of his dramas immediately. Chun Woo-hee played her part so well and is one of the most arrestingly beautiful faces I've seen on a drama...she was captivating! The supporting cast was also great especially Park So Yi as the daughter I Na.... incredibly expressive face and eyes! Also loved the black, white and color effects used in Atypical Family!
If I have any complaints (and it's a tiny one) I'd have wished for one more episode to round out the story...it developed so well and slowly that his return, in the final few minutes of the last episode was fast and a bit abrupt...I mean was he a ghost? Was he there for good or could he just return when "called up" by his son? ?
And one last note, and probably one of the MOST outstanding parts of this drama was the ABSOLUTELY incredible OST!!!! My god, it totally made this drama that great work it is! I've already purchased (and listen to incessantly) two of my favorite pieces..."I See You" and the theme song "Atypical Family"...so hauntingly beautiful!! This drama is totally worth a watch...or two and do buy that soundtrack!
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Where or where are 41-46!!!
Oh Man, this drama would have been a TOTAL 10 in my book as it is an amazing series....BUT...My only complaint is we in the online audience only got up to Episode 40, so, at least for me, the story felt truly incomplete!!!
This whole drama was so beautifully paced, the development of each character was so well done that you are totally vested in each of them. Then in the final episode (40) we are rushed through a single wedding of two semi-supporting characters, one which, in my opinion, was not the anticipated one and then left out in the cold on the rest of the storylines!
I really do not understand why we don't have access to the last 6 episodes (I've looked and cannot find them...if anyone knows where to find them PLEASE reply!!!). I feel like this beautiful drama got stopped mid sentence. Where are the conclusions of Ling Xiao and Li Jian Jian's story....and what about He Zi Qiu or Qi Ming Yue or Tang Can and Qin Mei Ying? I suppose we can all make guesses on a few of the stories but besides being a really unsatisfying exercise and because each had a well developed storyline that ended abruptly...it just broke my heart.
I really do love this drama,...just wish I could get ahold of the 6 missing episodes to really finish this drama perfectly.
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This review may contain spoilers
Why DAYS is not rated a "10" is beyond me!
WOW!!! What a series!This story beautifully takes on some complex existential questions like: What does it mean to be human, What is the meaning of our lives, Is there a god... as it deals with issues like Life & Death, Love & Hate, and the stages of Grief.
Yet even as these heavy issues are revealed to us Doom At Your Service still manages to give us a truly magical and addictive story of these characters, who we quickly care deeply for and whose lives we connect with, root for and sympathize with.
I wonder that the low ratings I saw in some of the reviews were because viewers thought this was going to be a simple light drama, and thus were not ready (or wanting) to tackle the heavy themes in this masterpiece? Because to review this as lacking is to miss the extraordinary accomplishment of this drama's ability to address so many complicated issues.
The two leads, incredible portrayed by Park Bo Young and Seo In Guk, add such depth and insights for we viewers...they both deserved awards for this work. Park Bo Youngs character Tak Dong Kyung takes us flawlessly through her stages of grief upon learning of her impending death, as we also watch the seamless transformation of Seo In Guk's character Doom into a human with all human emotions subtly and wonderfully "blossoming".
The supporting cast were also perfectly cast...I especially fell in love with Dong Kyung's younger brother, Seon Kyung, portrayed by the talented Da Won, who added just enough comic relief and innocent, raw, wide-open emotion to his character you can't help but love him.
Add to all this a wonderful soundtrack and you have a "10"... a perfect series!
For me I don't think there was one episode I didn't "ugly cry" in...either out of the sensitivity of the scene, the deep sadness of the scene or the happiness of the scene, so if you might be looking for something to watch because you have some pent-up crying you need to release...THIS is your answer.
This amazing drama was a roller-coaster ride to be sure but one I will gladly ride again and again and likely purchase for my collection...PLEASE don't miss this drama.
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A piece of magic
Oh My.....I am not sure how this sensitive and visually beautiful series ever got a low review! I feel almost privileged to have had the opportunity to watch it. And that, as I have read, 4 episodes were cut because of low rating I am beyond flabbergasted!Besides being one of the most beautifully shot dramas I have watched in a very long time, the acting was superb, the music hauntingly lovely, and the story so very touching...
This series dealt incredibly well with many complex human emotions; dealing with the pain of unrequited love, the devastation and regret of loss and the strength it takes to move past and continue on to have a fulfilling life.
Jung Hae In, a favorite of mine, has an almost etherial quality that made him perfect for the role of Moon Ha Wo. Kim Sung Kyu broke my heart in his portrayal of Kang In Wook....in fact there truly was not one actor in the series I felt could have been better cast.
This will be one I'll definitely put on my rewatch list...a truly beautiful series!
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Complex and beautifully done
LOVED this drama!!! Really love the ML and FL together...great chemistry and so, so easy on the eyes...This drama was different than many with the addition of the supernatural element. While it had some religious undertones they were not over the top so easy for anyone, who might be sensitive to the subject, to watch I believe.
I loved the forward and backward time elements and how their two stories/lives tied together...
While there were a few different storylines...it was easy to follow.
I also really loved how they wrote and acted the complexities of the different characters and how so many were a mix of good and bad as most humans are. Human nature was addressed beautifully I thought.
There was also a small element of comedy which was appreciated in this drama which was often very heavy duty in it's storylines.
This will definitely be on my rewatch list....and I may even purchase the DVD...for me it was that good!
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