All The Feels
I really didn't know what to expect when I started Ame no Yume to Ato ni. I just found the description interesting so I checked it out. What I got was a well acted, different, slice of life drama that just jumps into you. It's difficult to find subs for Ikki Sawamura's dramas unless he's the support, which is a shame because he's wonderful (and not bad to look at it). In Ame he plays a single father who tries to support and raise daughter the best he can without her being disturbed by anything unfortunate. There are some fantastic scenes one of which is imprinted on my brain and goes down as one of the most emotional scenes ever filmed between 2 male actors (Sawamura & Borther Tom). It's been a few years since I first watched it (and rewatched it), and I can see the scene like it's running now. Just have your tissues ready for it. The cast is a fantastic ensemble that have chemistry that works well.Production wise it's eh, but it's comparatively old. The film quality is obviously different like it is between daytime and nightime programming. That is quite probably it's biggest flaw. The editing could have been better as well. Yeah it's a bit kitchy, uneven, and at times slow, but the heart thatnpours out of it makes up for it's flaws.
I have watched a few older J-dramas, but none stand out as much as this one. It's a classic and a favorite.
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Live depicts the lives of rookie cops and their mentors and how their work and family life intermingle. The writing was excellent. I did not know what to expect when I started watching it. When I first heard of Live, it was listed as a comedy. It is not. If I had to catergorize it, I'd put it under slice of life. Drama. Comedy. Action. Romance. It's all in there. It has many scenes that will make you smile, but it also has several that will make you sad and even anger you. The writers did a great job at balancing the emotions and climate of each episode. Was it 100% perfect? No, I'd be lying if I said it was because nothing is perfect. However, the story is well told.
The story is also well acted. Wonderfully acted as a matter of fact! The male leads were played by Lee Kwang Soo and Bae Sung Woo. Now, I will confess that I watch everything Lee Kwang Soo because I think he's an excellent actor and not respected enough. He has never failed to entertain me. I've only seen one other drama Bae Sung Woo has been in and I don't even remember him. Trust me when I say, I will remember him now. Lee plays rookie to Bae's seasoned vet. The 2 clash from the beginning but their relationship develops into one of mutual respect and friendship. The female leads (Jung Yoo Mi and Bae Jun Ok) are also Korean officers, which is uncommon in Korean drama. They're both strong willed and determined women who don't back down. There's a marvelous scene of Bae Jun Ok confronting the all male hierarchy in the police. It was beautifully brillant! The rest of the cast is peppered with seasoned scene stealing vets like Sung Dong Il, Jang Hyun Sung, Lee Soon Jae as well as some and up and comers to keep an eye on.
Usually, I hate how music is used in most dramas. I have to admit TVN music editors do a pretty good job. I did get tired of hearing the same songs, but they weren't played for what seemed like 3 minutes at a time while we re-watched scenes we just saw. I was surprised the main song(s) weren't by Korean artists, but they fit with the characters and the atmosphere. Thus, I believe, they were good choices.
I'm also not a big re-watch fan, but I am honestly ready to marathon Live again right now. I hope they do a sequel and not make the mistake of hiring a brand new cast. * fingers crossed *
There are some dramas that end perfectly with about 18 episodes; some that you wish did end with 18 episodes; and some you wish had a few more episodes. Live is the latter. If you like cop shows that delve into what happens in the precinct and the private lives of the officers, then you should be watching Live.
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This review may contain spoilers
Starts With A Bang Then Fizzles
Ashfall is aptly named. There's plenty of fallen ash to spare. Everything is carpeted in ash. It doesn't take this movie 5 minutes before we're off and racing against time to stop an earthquake that will be cataclysmic. Don Lee (Ma Dong Suk.. one day I'll get used to his Korean name...maybe) plays Professor Robert Kang or Kang Bong Rae who had been warning the powers that be for 3 years that a devastating series of earthquakes were coming and that they would initiate the eruption of the dormant Mt. Baekdu. Of course no one listened until after the fact and enlists the doctor to come up with a plan to stop them, which, of course, he already had. The problem is it has a small rate of success. Even so, Captain Jo In Chang (Ha Jung Woo) and his team are sent to obtain the nuclear bombs from North Korea. Their biggest obstacle is the man they have to enlist to help them. Lee Byung Hun plays Lee Jun Pyeong, the obstacle.The story sounds interesting enough, but it wasn't. There was very little tension, especially in the scenes where there should have been suspense. In very many scenes Capt. Jo seemed like comic relief as opposed to the hero. As the brains behind the operation , Dr. Kang should have had more dramatic scenes or at least more interesting ones. The action scenes were good, but they were a dime a dozen. Nothing new. Just when you think something big was about the happen, they skip to another scene. Basically, you see the beginning of an action and the aftermath, but not the actual action itself. There's also some blaring continuity issues. I feel the need to explain myself so here is a Spoiler: Suzy, who plays Capt. Jo's wife, is stuck in a car on a bridge when a tidal wave hits. The next scene you see her floating in the river. Huh? When did the car get knocked into the river? How did she get out of the car? What happened to all the people who were running? Next thing you know Suzy's bone dry hailing a bus. Her purse and paperwork are pristine. That's some kind of paper and ink! Oh, did I mention her character is in her last trimester of pregnancy? So, yeah, we have a VERY pregnant woman, stuck in a car that was apparently knocked into the Han River where she escapes and I guess swims ashore. She then somehow makes it on time to the road where she hails a bus with paperwork that's not wet. Yup. End Spoiler The pacing of the movie is off. Too fast at some points and too slow at others.
The acting was good. The actors did their best with what they were given. I think many scenes or character interactions were supposed to be funny or at least humorous, but they weren't. It's a really good cast with a fairly poor script.
I don't think the music was good. The music in an action movie is to aid in the suspense and anticipation. The music in Ashfall did none of that. I may not be big on re-watching dramas, but I'll re-watch a good movie over and over. I have no need to ever re-watch this movie.
I wouldn't recommend Ashfall to anyone. Great cast. Great EFx. Good premise. Poor script and direction.
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Missing 9 is one addictive drama at least episodes 1-15 are. Episode 16, not so much. They could have made episode 15 about 25 minutes longer to tie up the story and end it. The final episode had too much obvious filler and not enough tension. And the last scene came from outer space. It's like a new director took over for a quick second. But I digress. The story is quite good. It's nothing like I thought it would be. Early comparisons to Lost were far off base. There's a plane crash and that's where the similarities end. Missing 9's characters all mostly know each other for better or for worse. They all belong to/work for the same Entertainment Agency. The writer(s) did a good job in character development and setting up a well layered mystery even where there didn't seem to be one. The characters had camaraderie and there were a number of humorous scenes. The cast as a whole did a marvelous job and they had great chemistry. They seemed to work well together. The incidental music did a great job of supporting the story and helping move it along. The songs were ok. I really didn't pay much attention to the main song that played throughout the drama probably because I found it uninteresting. I really did enjoy Missing 9, but I don't see a reason to re-watch it. To be honest though, it's rare that I ever want to re-watch any drama.. Overall, it's a solid well done drama and very much worth watching even with the weird, obvious add-on scene at the end.
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The story was fine until time travel came into play for our lead, King Lee Gon. When he started to try and change his past, the story went sideways and I was no longer able to suspend disbelief. My loves of fantasy and science can only take so much. Honestly, I don't believe a different writer would have done much better unless they added some episodes. This drama easily needed 2-4 more episodes so that scenes in episodes (I'll say 10-15) don't seem rushed and underdeveloped. Perhaps not having 2 directors would also have been beneficial. Again, this was a great idea just not thought out and presented well.
The cast was solid. I'm still shocked that I can't complain about Lee Min Ho. Do they give acting classes in the Korean military? While the leads were good, they lacked chemistry. I'm going to lay the blame squarely on Kim Go Eun's shoulders. This is my 2nd time seeing her and my 2nd time thinking she had 0 chemistry with her leading man. Conversely, I've seen LMH several times and chemistry is usually all he has. OK and what's up with KGE hand thing. I noticed it early on in EM that she constantly puts her hand in her face when she has emotional scenes. I wonder if she has something rubbed on her hand to make her cry. I've nicknamed her Hand Smeller. I swear in one scene she smells her hand a good 5 times in less than 1 minute. If for some reason I run across her, I'll probably be arrested because I'm gonna grab her hand and smell it. Hopefully, we're not in the ladies'. LOL My curiosity won't be satiated if I don't. Put something aside for my bail. Thanks. The king of the cast was easily Woo Do Hwan that played both Jo Young and Jo Eun Sub impeccably.
The music was alright. The love song was forgettable to me, but I'm not a lover of ballads. The rewatch value is nil. It takes a lot to make me want to rewatch a drama. I can't see that happening with K:EM. Don't get me wrong, I actually liked it well enough. I wouldn't recommend it, but it has some same saving graces, especially the cast which is why I gave it 7 stars (5 for the cast, 1 for costume, and 1 for set design).
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Actually, I call the core 7, My 7 Little Pabos. They made/make complete fools out of themselves weekly and I thank them for it. They are truly brillant. Lead by the Nation's MC, YJS, the RM cast is a well oiled and often zany machine. When their personalities clash, it's usually hilarious. Unlike other Korean variety shows I've seen, RM is a work out. They play games and do missions. After 10 seasons I'm always shocked when guests come on and are surprised that the title is literal. Watching RM makes you want to join in on the fun. I know I can't anymore (not unless they have Limping Man), but I wish that I could.
They promote the music of the cast as well as any musical guests. Aside from their personal themes, the music played during the episodes is always current. It's a great production and the writers do a very good job.
The bottom line is this: Running Man is fun. They look like they're having fun and you have fun just watching them. If you could get a job, running around playing games all day and laughing, wouldn't you? I know I would. Since that's virtually impossible for most of us, watching RM is the next best thing.
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Yes, it's not good
I have never written a review of anything I'm still watching, but I see a few people asking is it good and I wanted to say, "No. No, it's not." I will edit this once I'm done, but I'm not going to lie, the struggle is real. It has a great concept with poor execution and barely passable acting. It's not thrilling. It's not intriguing. And it's not fun to watch. I figured out all the main points between episodes 3-7. So far, I'm correct. It's so bad that I keep picking up my tablet to play a game forgetting that I don't speak Chinese. When I go back to see what I've missed, it's usually nothing. All that talking and they've said nothing! How is that even possible?! It's either that or I've somehow learned Chinese. Take it with a grain of salt. It may not be the worse crime drama I've watched but it's a contender.Edit: Ok I'm done. My opinion has not changed. Admittedly, there was a bit of redemption in episodes 11 & 12, easily the best episodes of the series, but it was too little too late.
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Very Entertaining
The concept of Apartment 404, while limiting if you take the title at face value, takes large scale crimes that happened in apartment buildings/complexes from different time periods is SK and has the cast solve them. It made me wonder what exactly goes on in large complexes as I've never lived in one. They dropped a fact about how many apartment buildings there are in SK. I don't remember exactly, but they're one of the top in the world. That's a lot of damn apartments! I think the producers realized they didn't have enough source material and expanded their reach as seen in episodes 7 and 8. This actually gave me hope for a season 2.I truly enjoyed every episode. It's like Busted! mixed with a bit of Village the 8 (had it lived up to it's potential). It was fun trying to figure out clues and guess which one (if any) of the endearing cast lead by King of the Variety Show, You Jae Suk. I will watch at least one episode of any show Yoo does. Of the shows available to me in the last 12-14 years there's only been 2 that I wasn't fond of. I was familiar with everyone in the cast but grew to love was Lee Jung Ha. You would think he'd get swallowed up by the over top personalities of the rest of the cast, but held his own and got better with each episode.
Rarely to I re-watch dramas but I tend to re-watch variety so I can laugh. In the case of Apt 404 it's more of case of trying to find clues that I missed. I would recommend this as a de-stresser to anyone, especially if they like things that are light hearted with a bit of mystery.
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Thoroughly Entertaining!
I had a great time watching Mystery to IuNakare. It's a fun ride. I absolutely adored Kounou Toutonou! Japan has done several takes on Sherlock Holmes. Some hits. Some misses. I'm not saying Toutonou is young Sherlock Holmes, but it he reminds me of him. Honestly, to me he's a combo of Holmes and Tom Baker's Doctor Who (the 4th doctor.. look him up). Kounou Toutonou is a college student (as he says many times) with beyond exceptional deductive reasoning and observational skills. His antisocial behavior and personality led him to become the prime suspect in the murder of a former high school classmate. I was hooked from the first few minutes in episode one (finished the entire series in less than a day). Any time a suspect is taken in for questioning and winds up questioning the police, I'm in. Of course he shows off his skills, thereby setting up the rest of the series.The story is great. Yes, the murders may be somewhat common, but the solving of them is not. I mentioned Kounou reminds me of Sherlock Holmes. He has his own Moriarity. Someone who is brilliant, but pushed to the edge due to circumstances and winds up on the wrong side of the law. There's also a common thread throughout the episodes that does not become readily apparent until the end. The writing was done very well as was the production. This is not a gritty crime detective story. Although, somewhat lighthearted in many ways, it's not a comedy either. I'd categorize it as a dramedy.
The cast is great. Suda Masaki is fantastic as our curly haired protagonist. The characters including guests were all well cast. I enjoyed their performances. It took almost an entire episode for me to recognize Eita. When he shaves and covers his ears, he's unrecognizable. LOL
The music was pretty good. I really didn't take much notice of it which means it supported the scenes instead of overwhelming them. Re-watch is medium as I rarely re-watch, but I may, especially if there's too much time between seasons. Hopefully, there will be a season 2 as season 1 ends with a cliffhanger. Plus, there's too much about Kounou-kun that is unknown.
Overall, this is a fantastic binge worthy drama. I highly recommend it.
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A Societal Snapshot
It maybe titled Joke, but it's not funny. On the surface t's a psychological race between a celebrity,Sawai (Iplayed by kuta Toma) trying to regain his popularity via streaming and a fan. Beneath the surface Joke is an interesting take on tech, especially A,I. tech, and the control we give it in our daily lives . In short Joke is a sad commentary on what we are all becoming due to Covid.The writing is creative and clear. The director did a good job. The 45 minute special primarily takes place in 1 room. The production quality is fairly high overall? Some may think It too short, but I think it's the perfect length. If you've ever watched an anthology, the length won't bother you. It's like an episode of the Twilight Zone. It's basically a one man show. Toma does a great as Sawai, especially as he began to piece things together.
Music? There was music? I seriously don't remember. The re-watch is 50% maybe a little less. I am interested to know if there are missed clues.
Overall, I liked Joke. Is it ground breaking? No., but it is entertaining and thought provoking.
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The MAS series began with Ishi no Mayu. I did a full review of it so I won't go into detail Needless to say, it was very good and worth a watch. Next came Suishou no Kodou, which takes place 1 year after the end of ishi no Mayu. Metro Police Dept Division 11 is on the scene with all but 1 familiar face. Kisaragi is trying to overcome the psychological trauma she experienced in Ishi by jumping head first into cases. She also makes several trips to the prison to visit the serial killer from Ishi, who refuses to see her. I found SnK to be more of a character analysis than murder analysis. Yes, there were gruesome murders, but the suspense and tension that was is in Ishi was lacking. As in Ishi the cast was very good as was the production. The music did it's job. I don't remember there being any particular song. The rewatch value is fairly high as it's only 5 episodes long. 8.5
The third installment is actually a hen (part of the story usually not involving a main character) and takes place prior to series 1. Aku no Hado revolves around Yuginuma Masato, an important character in Ishi and shows the events that led him to cross paths with Kisaragi. If Kodou is a possible character study, Aku no Hado most definitely is one It revolves around the Hanging Oneself murderer. However, at it's core Aku shows the awakening of a psychopath if one can go from sociopath to psychopath that is. There is very little in the form of investigation. The suspense comes mostly at the end of the last episode. There's also the added tension of waiting for the psychological break that you know will happen. It was a little lacklustre, but sufficient. Hado is not thrilling at all, but it is good. It starts slow and builds to a crescendo which is the beginning of Ishi. The cast is good. This was my first time seeing Ikeda Tetsuhiro (Det. Iguchi) in such a meaty role. I'm used to him as the bungling sidekick to Yabe Kenzou. I have respect for his acting skills now. I'm glad I watched this one, but I wouldn't want to watch it again. 8.0
As I stated Chou no Rikigaku takes place 4 years after the beginning of Ishi no Mayu. Kisaragi has come into her own as a police detective. I still was not fond of her. I had a lot of questions on Rikigaku's pecking order. It made no sense to me why a detective with only 4 years experience essentially becomes the team leader over more seasoned detectives. I kept thinking 'who is she to give them orders' and 'why are they listening to her without push back.' It was just too unrealistic, especially given that female detectives still aren't taken very seriously in Japan. A fact which they make all too clear in the 2nd series. Otherwise, I enjoyed CnR. The murder toll and murders were amped up. It also marks the end of the team as we know it since there is a transfer looming. I enjoyed Rikigaku. I liked the intertwining story/stories and how they come together. Rikigaku has the the same core cast as Kodou and they are equally as good. The production is solid as is the background music. Re-watch is fairly high as the drama (and Murder Squad series) is short and I feel like there may be clues I missed this first go 'round. 8.5
The Murder Squad series is led by Kimura Fumino. Personally, she's not my cup of tea. I don't know what it is about her, but she annoys me. Perhaps it's just the type of characters she plays (they usually have some kind of personality flaw), or it could just be the actress herself. I'm not sure. I do acknowledge that she does play her characters well. In the first 2 series I wanted to shake her several times. In Rikigaku I just wanted to punch her... just. The veteran cast does a very good job as her supports. However, the stars of the series and the fun ones to watch are the psychopaths in series 1 and 3. Both actors were great.
The writing and production for the series is solid. Hado is a little below the other 3. Some quality was cut as if the budget was lower. Overall, the music was good as it conveyed the emotions necessary. If I could score the series in it's entirety, I'd give it a 9. Yeah it takes some leaps, but they're entertaining leaps.
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Since this is the 2nd drama in the series, I'm opting to write a full review when I finish all 3 series and the side story. By the way, you don't need to have seen Ishi no Mayu to enjoy Suishou no Kodou, but it helps explain the relationship between certain characters and Kisaragi's behavior.
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The story revolves around Haruto Kaguragi, who idolizes F4, and wants to bring Eitoku-koko back to the glory it once was; Oto Edogawa, who is trying her best to get along until she can graduate; and Tenma Hase, the leader of Eitoku's rival school and Edogawa's oldest friend & fiance. Kaguragi's C5 aren't your typical HS bullies like F4 were originally. They're separatists. A rich kid school for rich kids. Peasants be gone! As such, C5 does peasant/commoner hunting and strongly suggest students who are not paying donations put in transfer papers. This is done in front of the student body at anytime/any place. Edogawa started school as a rich kid, but her family's business went under. I think you can see the clash. The storyline parallels HYD too much I believe. They made slight changes, but at it's core it was the same. A few more changes would have made it much more interesting.
They didn't skimp on the production. The sets were well appointed. I was happy to see the old Eitoku cafeteria. While the writing was unoriginal, but good for what it was, the direction, filming, and editing were expert. My guess is the screenwriter, Yoshida Erika, who is quite young, was given an outline or guide to follow. The one thing I found truly irritating was how Edogawa was so used to her poor life. The family business had only gone under 6 months earlier. One would expect her to still be trying to adjust.
The acting was really quite good. I'd never seen any of the actors that played the students before (I don't believe). Sugisaki Hana was fantastic as Edogawa. Her leading men, Hirano Sho (Kaguragi), and Nakagawa Taishi (Hase) were also quite good. FUN FACT for anyone who watches anime: Episode 10 has some serious Bleach vibes, Ichigo vs. Uryu. The rest of the cast rounds out nicely. Three of F4 make guest appearances. I only knew of 1 so I was pleasantly surprised. OK, I went all fan girl! It was just great to see them slip back into these rolls as "adults."
The OST (instrumental) is fitting. As for the themes, Utada's "First Love" is hauntingly beautiful. It gives you all the feels and goes wonderfully with the story. The title theme by King & Prince is fun, but not memorable.
I don't feel a need to rewatch this, but I don't feel the need to rewatch 99.9% of the dramas I watch. I would, however, welcome a season 2 of this next season.
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The plot, the writing, the directing and editing, the entire production is fantastic. They doubled down on the backstabbing and scheming. The political intrigue wasn't as upfront as was the investigation. They prosecutors are a big part of Season 2.
The acting is superb. I mentioned in my Chief of Staff review that Shin Min Ah was so far removed from her usual type of role that I forgot it was her. I did in season 2 as well. They got a shot of those dimples and it hit me who she was. Kim Gab Soo was as mesmerizing in this as he was in season 1. He only lost in his scene stealing to Jung Woon In. Lee Jung Jae embodied his character. This was the first time I've seen him in a drama. He is wonderful.
Chief of Staff, the full series, is fantastic. Season 2 brings everything from both seasons to a satisfying close. However, they leave you hoping you may see some of the characters again. It's like a great book that you couldn't put down for a while even after you've finished.
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