YES, E2 totally got me invested. I want more of this feel-good show! I love how E2 beautifully explored the theme of how everybody is doing their best in different ways. Doing your best isn't always about achieving the best results, rather being true to how you feel. When you're true to yourself, things have a way of working out in your favour :) And yes, the leads have some really natural sizzling chemistry. Looking forward to E3!
Wow only Japan could have made this.. so unique & weird. In fact, weird doesn't even cut it, they were one twisted pairing, and I have no idea how the movie achieved it, but the tone was so rom-comy despite the dark theme. I ended up liking it more than I expected to. It was strangely addicting & left me wanting more. Give it a try if you're looking for something different :)
My first Tagalog movie. It started off really cheesy but it got so much better as it went on. The angst in the second half was really well done and the ending was realistic with an unconventional touch. The leads grew on me, & did great. I'd totally recommend this.
I loved the 3rd episode much much more than the first. I hope more people will look beyond the first episode & give this a chance. Compared to the other episodes, E3 really hit all the right spots for me.
I like that we're slowing down more & more to understand the characters, and their stories. The families are a little chaotic & I'm curious to see where they go with all of them & balancing all their stories, but I'll talk about what I love most, and that is the leads. While they're not always there for each other & don't necessarily understand each other's backgrounds & struggles, I like that they're slowly building their own world together which is not on the basis of their past, rather their present.. on what they are right now & what they're feeling. They don't talk about everything, but they're surprisingly honest (in the moment). What needs to be said, is said - be it asserting their right on each other as husband/wife or giving each other a hug. Yeah they're awkward about some things, but there is an awareness of each other which I'm enjoying. They go with their feelings, and so am I going with this drama, to wherever it takes me to :)
Koichi's father & Saki's father - the less said, the better. Sending Koichi's mum a big hug. I love her, and her fight to have her own life & identity, even at an old age. Like they say, age is just a number.
Thanks for the video. I do want to add that whilst the system is flawed and shocking to many, sometimes it is…
I agree with you totally. We must praise and criticize, both, where due, without overly sensationalizing or generalizing the statistics & facts.
It is a rather complex situation, because while the criminal "justice" system appears to have failed the public with its 99% conviction rate, it is no failure given the low crime rate. That are of course various social factors involved but still.. I also definitely across some cases which pointed to number of people fighting for reform & trying their best to fight for the defendants.
One of the things that I find concerning in the over-reliance on confessions. While confessions are important, they hold little validity on their own, especially when one is denying the charge, without proof/alibi. And forced confessions appear to be the way the burden is being shifted to the defendant to confess, rather than the police to investigate & lawyers to defend. A lot of the prosecution also appears to see it as a winning game where they take up only those cases they have a chance of winning, reducing the judge's responsibility to scrutinize the merits of the case. This makes feel that the most inherent distinction appears to be the lack of a clear division of powers & responsibilities in the Japanese legal system. The forced confessions don't appear to be the root of the problem to me (though they are highly publicised)
Of course I'm still just reading up on some stuff so I don't have an informed opinion yet... I will do more reading tonight & get back to you.
The first episode was so relatable, yet refreshing. I loved it. Looks like another great season of J dramas <3
Natsukawa Yui, as always, was lovely. I was pleasantly surprised to see Mukai Osamu in the 1st episode. The other members of the share house seem interesting. Yokohama Ryusei was pleasant but Kawaguchi Haruna was the show stealer. The way she held back her tears, to the way she cried while she was eating, what a natural! They're all characters I'm rooting for, including Kouji who I hope gets to go on lots of walks & play dates with the leads XD
A much needed drama in the times we're living in where everybody is obsessed with their phone, social media & just running forward in life. Let us take a step back once in a while & enjoy life for what it is. Most importantly, find joy in what you do.
When I read your comment, the first thing that popped in my mind is: "Welcome to Japan".For a country as advanced…
Thank you so much for sharing! I read the articles you pointed me to, & did some research on my own. I was appalled to know that 99% of people are convicted when they're accused of a crime.
The system seems to be that of "guilty until proven innocent" rather than "innocent till proven guilty" which is a scary stance for any legal system to take because the purpose seems not to be justice, but rather putting away any suspect to jail (as a form of deterrence) without hearing his side of the case (which the law grants you the right to). Human right don't seem to exist at all. Most of them are not even given that right to appoint a lawyer or be appointed a pro bono lawyer.
I definitely appreciate the drama better now & see what they're trying to do.
Thank you @Betsu-ni for the insight on the Japanese legal system.
For those of you interested, check out the following mini-documentary "Guilty Until Proven Inncocent" on Japan's legal system. It basically affirms what she said. For many of us living outside Japan, this might help you understand & appreciate the drama better, specifically what Iruma is doing as a judge, because lawyers & judges don't function with the same purpose as we see in countries outside Japan. We are used to hearing "Innocent until Proven Guilty" but the reverse is true in Japan.
Unlike other countries, where you put your case forward with the help of a lawyer, in Japan 90% of convictions actually rely on confessions [majority of which are forced] & these are concerning because they can lead to death penalty.
A lady who was forced into confessing her crime when she didn't do it, finally manages to have the judge's decision overturned after 20 years. Unfortunately 99% of people who are convicted in Japan are charged with the crime. Basically once you have a confession, you can't prove your innocence.
Over & over again she was forced by the police to confess despite pleading innocence. Her interrogation lasted 12 hours & she was not even given the option to have a lawyer. Despite the fact that they investigated & conducted experiments which proved that she might be innocent, the police insisted that she was guilty. She was told that her de-factor partner had confessed, and so she gave in eventually & confessed to the crime. She was under the impression that if she wrote the confession the police wanted her to, she would be free, but that did not happen. A psychologist explains how people can't handle the mental torture and give up.
After living in the jail for 20 years, rebuilding her life has not been easy because of the bills she has to pay, the access to jobs which are not easy, & not to mention, the technological advances that took place while she is in jail. There are also other individuals who speak out about their experiences of being wrongfully convicted.
Anyone can be held for 23 days without charge, and the police is not required to report the questionings & what happens within the room. It is not illegal. In fact, the police & prosecution often work together to get an individual to confess. Once they decide to prosecute, they have to get a guilty verdict.
The police, prosecution & legal systems are seen as an evil organizations by many, because all they appear to be doing in such cases is to pin the blame on an individual & move on to another case rather than mete out justice.
I think the show did a fairly good job in making me root for the refined FL and otaku ML, like I could see why she would be drawn to him despite the huge differences between them. The FL was a sweetheart & the ML was really endearing. The internet friends were so awesome, I loved them all.
All in all, it was a sweet drama with winning characters & sincere performances (despite the exaggerated acting by the ML at times). Give it a try if you're in the mood for something light, heartwarming & different :)
Special mention for Oguri Shun & Hayami Mokomichi who were so damn HOT in this *swoons* despite having little to do.
I went in with low expectations but I was so impressed by this movie. If you're looking for fluff, or a light-hearted…
My heart broke for the ML so much. Yes he wanted her to treat him like a dog, but even a dog deserves respect & what she did to him on countless occasions was cruel. She failed to accept him for who he was & degraded him, while imposing her own conditions on him. She got the better end of the deal in the relationship clearly though he wasn't looking for out or looking for better. It made me wonder whether all the ML had to endure was worth it? Probably yes for him, but it was painfully hard for me as a third party to watch this without my own value judgments.
I went in with low expectations but I was so impressed by this movie. If you're looking for fluff, or a light-hearted love story, this is not for you. This may make many uncomfortable especially if you cannot stomach watching relationships that are imbalanced, masochistic & toxic. The ML was unconditionally devoted to the FL & wished for her to accept him the way he was, while the FL wanted to love on her own terms & conditions. The result was an imbalanced relationship between the two that was painfully dark, real & twisted. It was a well-written & tight-scripted movie that was carried by fantastic performances from the leads (esp the ML).
Highly recommended for a non-judgmental, mature audience.
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I love how E2 beautifully explored the theme of how everybody is doing their best in different ways. Doing your best isn't always about achieving the best results, rather being true to how you feel. When you're true to yourself, things have a way of working out in your favour :)
And yes, the leads have some really natural sizzling chemistry.
Looking forward to E3!
I ended up liking it more than I expected to. It was strangely addicting & left me wanting more.
Give it a try if you're looking for something different :)
It started off really cheesy but it got so much better as it went on. The angst in the second half was really well done and the ending was realistic with an unconventional touch. The leads grew on me, & did great.
I'd totally recommend this.
I like that we're slowing down more & more to understand the characters, and their stories. The families are a little chaotic & I'm curious to see where they go with all of them & balancing all their stories, but I'll talk about what I love most, and that is the leads. While they're not always there for each other & don't necessarily understand each other's backgrounds & struggles, I like that they're slowly building their own world together which is not on the basis of their past, rather their present.. on what they are right now & what they're feeling. They don't talk about everything, but they're surprisingly honest (in the moment). What needs to be said, is said - be it asserting their right on each other as husband/wife or giving each other a hug. Yeah they're awkward about some things, but there is an awareness of each other which I'm enjoying. They go with their feelings, and so am I going with this drama, to wherever it takes me to :)
Koichi's father & Saki's father - the less said, the better. Sending Koichi's mum a big hug. I love her, and her fight to have her own life & identity, even at an old age. Like they say, age is just a number.
It is a rather complex situation, because while the criminal "justice" system appears to have failed the public with its 99% conviction rate, it is no failure given the low crime rate. That are of course various social factors involved but still.. I also definitely across some cases which pointed to number of people fighting for reform & trying their best to fight for the defendants.
One of the things that I find concerning in the over-reliance on confessions. While confessions are important, they hold little validity on their own, especially when one is denying the charge, without proof/alibi. And forced confessions appear to be the way the burden is being shifted to the defendant to confess, rather than the police to investigate & lawyers to defend. A lot of the prosecution also appears to see it as a winning game where they take up only those cases they have a chance of winning, reducing the judge's responsibility to scrutinize the merits of the case. This makes feel that the most inherent distinction appears to be the lack of a clear division of powers & responsibilities in the Japanese legal system. The forced confessions don't appear to be the root of the problem to me (though they are highly publicised)
Of course I'm still just reading up on some stuff so I don't have an informed opinion yet... I will do more reading tonight & get back to you.
Natsukawa Yui, as always, was lovely. I was pleasantly surprised to see Mukai Osamu in the 1st episode. The other members of the share house seem interesting. Yokohama Ryusei was pleasant but Kawaguchi Haruna was the show stealer. The way she held back her tears, to the way she cried while she was eating, what a natural! They're all characters I'm rooting for, including Kouji who I hope gets to go on lots of walks & play dates with the leads XD
A much needed drama in the times we're living in where everybody is obsessed with their phone, social media & just running forward in life. Let us take a step back once in a while & enjoy life for what it is. Most importantly, find joy in what you do.
The system seems to be that of "guilty until proven innocent" rather than "innocent till proven guilty" which is a scary stance for any legal system to take because the purpose seems not to be justice, but rather putting away any suspect to jail (as a form of deterrence) without hearing his side of the case (which the law grants you the right to). Human right don't seem to exist at all. Most of them are not even given that right to appoint a lawyer or be appointed a pro bono lawyer.
I definitely appreciate the drama better now & see what they're trying to do.
For those of you interested, check out the following mini-documentary "Guilty Until Proven Inncocent" on Japan's legal system. It basically affirms what she said.
For many of us living outside Japan, this might help you understand & appreciate the drama better, specifically what Iruma is doing as a judge, because lawyers & judges don't function with the same purpose as we see in countries outside Japan. We are used to hearing "Innocent until Proven Guilty" but the reverse is true in Japan.
Unlike other countries, where you put your case forward with the help of a lawyer, in Japan 90% of convictions actually rely on confessions [majority of which are forced] & these are concerning because they can lead to death penalty.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYJpc2y37oU
A summary of the video [in case you can't see it]
A lady who was forced into confessing her crime when she didn't do it, finally manages to have the judge's decision overturned after 20 years. Unfortunately 99% of people who are convicted in Japan are charged with the crime. Basically once you have a confession, you can't prove your innocence.
Over & over again she was forced by the police to confess despite pleading innocence. Her interrogation lasted 12 hours & she was not even given the option to have a lawyer. Despite the fact that they investigated & conducted experiments which proved that she might be innocent, the police insisted that she was guilty. She was told that her de-factor partner had confessed, and so she gave in eventually & confessed to the crime. She was under the impression that if she wrote the confession the police wanted her to, she would be free, but that did not happen. A psychologist explains how people can't handle the mental torture and give up.
After living in the jail for 20 years, rebuilding her life has not been easy because of the bills she has to pay, the access to jobs which are not easy, & not to mention, the technological advances that took place while she is in jail. There are also other individuals who speak out about their experiences of being wrongfully convicted.
Anyone can be held for 23 days without charge, and the police is not required to report the questionings & what happens within the room. It is not illegal. In fact, the police & prosecution often work together to get an individual to confess. Once they decide to prosecute, they have to get a guilty verdict.
The police, prosecution & legal systems are seen as an evil organizations by many, because all they appear to be doing in such cases is to pin the blame on an individual & move on to another case rather than mete out justice.
All in all, it was a sweet drama with winning characters & sincere performances (despite the exaggerated acting by the ML at times). Give it a try if you're in the mood for something light, heartwarming & different :)
Special mention for Oguri Shun & Hayami Mokomichi who were so damn HOT in this *swoons* despite having little to do.
It made me wonder whether all the ML had to endure was worth it? Probably yes for him, but it was painfully hard for me as a third party to watch this without my own value judgments.
The ML was unconditionally devoted to the FL & wished for her to accept him the way he was, while the FL wanted to love on her own terms & conditions. The result was an imbalanced relationship between the two that was painfully dark, real & twisted. It was a well-written & tight-scripted movie that was carried by fantastic performances from the leads (esp the ML).
Highly recommended for a non-judgmental, mature audience.