lilili

I honestly don't care much at all 🥲 just an observation that people will give low ratings for reasons that have nothing to do with the quality of the drama. This drama is going to pull a big audience regardless of the ratings.

Even if he's the 2ML it's a meaty part! And he's excellent in it.

This review is a year old so I don't know if you'll see this but I wanted to thank you for writing it. I am almost finished with the drama and like you I absolutely love all the characters, especially Mamoru. No wonder everyone falls in love with her, she's passionate, smart, principled, funny and quirky. She's flawed but she always leads from the heart and tries to do right by the people around her. The actress is unconventionally beautiful and I love how they styled her. The side characters are all wonderful, especially Miyamura, Imayoshi, Ririka and Ikari and I loved the theme of found family and banding together to build the company. The plot is all over the place, the editing is weird, and I didn't find the romance credible (though when Yu goes through a very bad patch toward the end of the drama and is crumbling under the pressure I found myself a lot more invested in his character and the relationship). Still I truly loved watching this drama and I'm sad so many people hated it.

Japanese aesthetics are really different from Korea, that's just how it is. I appreciate it now, super tired of all the face smoothing and plastic surgery that Korean actors get

I loved the Japanese version but that's an absurdly low rating. The CM Japan fans also obliterated the ratings for Super Rich which is a Jdrama that stars the leads as love rivals for the same woman and that I'm currently watching and enjoying a lot. I wish people would settle down about this stuff.

I don't think the poster is saying there should have been a scarf scene but rather the umbrella scene wasn't written or performed to bring the same emotional impact. The scene is important because it's the first time Achi/Adachi realizes someone amazing views him as a worthwhile person.

Since you've already gotten blowback from a stan 😅 what do you think of the Thai leads vs. the Japanese leads? I think New and Eiiji are so different it's like they are playing different characters so it's hard to compare. New isn't showing the panic that Eiiji had at the start which kind of messes with the character's arc, unless Thailand is planning on taking the whole thing in a different direction and focusing more on him resenting Karan's perfection. Tay is solid but I prefer Keita because he was so good at bringing out Kurosawa's vulnerability which made me fall in love with the character.

I rated this much higher than you because I loved the core trio and the emotional ties they formed as well as the humor. But I agree with you 💯 on the obsession stories and especially the big bad guy. It didn't fit the story at all and basically ruined the ending for me.

I agree with what you said about part 4 because it makes it seem like Achi is open to Karan feeling that way about him which is too soon and kind of messes with the character arc.

6'3" with great arms & legs, I wouldn't get a damn thing done at work 😅

I mean the live action. I know IRL people have super smutty thoughts but the story is a fable so I find the sweet fantasies endearing. Also your crush is hilarious, I love hands and arms myself 😌

I don't think there's anything wrong with comparing the two adaptations of the story. I've watched every version of Boys Over Flowers/Hana Yori Dango and it's very interesting to compare how different countries have tackled the manga . As long as you give the new version a fair chance and aren't gratuitously mean, it's fun to compare the actors, how they adapted the same scenes, production values, OST etc.

What I loved about Kurosawa's fantasies at the start is that they were so boyfriend coded, you could tell right away that he really cares for Adachi. I never thought Adachi came across as homophobic, just completely flummoxed because he never imagined anyone would have feelings for him much less Mr. Perfect.

If I'm nitpicking the Thai first episode I think Achi already seems a more open to Karan's feelings which kind of messes with the narrative arc a bit. That initial freakout is supposed to set up the journey he takes to learn to love himself.

Ha not my real name but thanks!

The age gap was also too much, I know the Japan version deliveryman was in his 20s but he looked 14 and it freaked me out 😭

It's also that Cherry Magic is a proven IP with international appeal, they know it's going to grab a big audience.

Comparison between Japan ep 1 vs. Thailand ep 1

Production quality: Thailand is much much much better. The Japanese version, even though I loved it, had terrible color grading and just looked cheap. GMMTV obviously invested money into this production. The opening scenes of Achi going to work were especially pretty.

Acting: The Thai actors did well but Japan has better acting from the leads. Machida Keita as Kurosawa did a fantastic job of presenting a polished exterior but letting you know through his eyes and posture what he was really thinking and feeling. And Akaso Eiita was a hilarious baby constantly on the verge of a nervous breakdown. TayNew are solid but not quite to that level. I'm not sure New is selling me on being a virgin. But I expect the Thai second leads to do better because the Japanese second leads were pretty terrible.

OST: Thailand by a mile, which you'd expect from GMMTV

Story: The vibe from Thailand was a lot more low key and bittersweet than the Japanese first episode which leaned heavily into OTT comedy. Achi's loneliness came through much more strongly. It also felt like Achi is already more open to exploring his feelings for Karan while Adachi was having a full meltdown in Japan's first ep. I like the localization to Thailand and the blending of Thai and Japanese elements in the sets and story (the company has the same name in both versions).

My verdict: This is a really solid start. It hasn't grabbed me the way Japan did but it also feels like the director is trying to do something different with the basic story. The inherent sweetness of the original is still there. They also have more time to tell the story and we will definitely get more skinship in the Thai version so I'm really excited to see how it all unfolds.

I don't know the story, please fill me in 🙏

Same, that first episode was straight up terrible. Not the fault of the actors at all, it's a writing fail

The two other women who work for her could testify that she wasn't abusive and that the other woman was nuts. That whole setup makes no sense at all. Also why did her sisters and niece move back with her, don't they have jobs and school?