Dark, slow, atmospheric and introspective yakuza movie about lonely, trapped people drenched in rain, silence and dead-ends. With gritty performances and stylish directing, this isn't a typical gangster movie but more of a film noir and a character study exploring isolation, family, honour and retribution.
Not as good and gripping as its prequel: too many flashbacks, unnecessarily more violent and less focused on friendship, which was the strongest element of the first movie. Still, the acting and relationship formed between the two leads, as well as the proper closure of the whole story made this an interesting watch.
A violent yet compelling story of four boyhood friends from very different backgrounds, the choices they make, the different paths they take in life, their mistakes, sacrifices, loyalty and deep bonding. A classic movie about friendship among gangsters that, even after 20 years, can be an absorbing and intense watch.
Making a dramedy based on real political events and the life of activist Kim Dae Jung was definitely a bold and risky move, but wasn't bad at all. Though the story was predictable or too convenient at times, the pacing and tone uneven throughout the movie, and some plot-holes were too big to ignore, the solid performances from the cast, the convincing settings and aesthetics, as well as some nice comedic moments made "Best Friend" an interesting watch.
Pleasantly surprised by this coming-of-age/romance story, depicting a genuine and heartfelt connection between a shy, introverted young man living with his overprotective and overly-meddling mom and a lonely divorcee who works as a sex hotel manager and has a son of her own. Poignant performances from the cast (especially from Vivian Hsu), elegant cinematography and directing. A bittersweet, melancholic story with some strong mother/son relationship elements through two parallel family story arcs that beautifully intervene, resulting in some character growth for both mamas and their boys.
Not as cute and fluffy as the drama -too family friendly, with less humor and a more serious, mature tone- but still a satisfying watch: we got a proper closure, a happy ending and enjoyed the progress of Kurasawa and Adachi's relationship.
A melancholic coming-of-age story set in the late 60's, in the midst of political protest movements, university demonstrations and sexual exploration. Slow-paced, sad, full of yearning, loneliness and unspoken secrets.
Not perfect in terms of story and pacing, but I had a blast watching this! This mismatched trio, with their bantering and shenanigans, was a pleasure to watch. Suave Namkoong Min, with his plaid suits, his glasses, his wacky attitude & posture was a real eye-candy. That man never disappoints... 💯
This drama was one of the rare cases that, in spite of the distinct main cast, all the spotlights were stolen from a support character, played by actor Kang Hyung Suk. In every episode, I was hoping he got more screen-time. It's about time he gets a leading role!
To be honest, this drama didn't do Doh Kyung Soo any justice at all! His character was almost one-dimentional - in fact I found the whole writing at least average, with all those predictable and overused tropes and plot-twists. If not for DO's acting and the 12 episodes instead of typical 16, "Bad Prosecutor" would have been a bad drama...
An interesting depiction of how queer women of different generations approach, express and embrace their sexuality, love-life, friendship and family relationships.
A painfully beautiful story, so heartfelt, touching and delicate. Desperately sad but also inspiring, showing a great bonding of a found family and an amazing character development. Jung Seo Yeon gifted us with one of the most astonishing performances I've ever come across - so so emotional and convincing, more mature than most adult actors, almost natural... A 10/10 in my book, if only for this amazing child-actress!
A beautiful, heartwarming and bittersweet story of first love, with all the anxiety, thrill, anticipation and heart-fluttering moments. Adorable leads, nostalgic setting and, in spite of its ending being definitely uncalled for and unnecessary, it was still an enjoyable watch.
Started this for the cast, finished it for the cast and the wonderful, fairy-like cinematography. The story was confusing and felt really rushed, the pacing uneven, the music distracting, but the visuals, the colouring, the kimonos... chef's kiss!
Refreshingly entertaining slapstick comedy/parody with some interesting office dynamics and cute romance stories. I took me a few episodes to warm up to it, but what a fun ride it was till the end! [Ma Tan and Aziz being roommates is enough reason for a 2nd season]
An intriguing and thought-provoking mystery 'whodunit' story, with lots of critical social commentaries about the (destructive) power of social media and internet, the fierce workplace competition, the judgmental nature of people/public opinion, as well as how misinterpretations, misunderstandings or a different pov of a person's character can ruin someone’s life. Great script and direction of a novel adaptation, with an outstanding performance by Inoue Mao.
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With gritty performances and stylish directing, this isn't a typical gangster movie but more of a film noir and a character study exploring isolation, family, honour and retribution.
Still, the acting and relationship formed between the two leads, as well as the proper closure of the whole story made this an interesting watch.
A classic movie about friendship among gangsters that, even after 20 years, can be an absorbing and intense watch.
Though the story was predictable or too convenient at times, the pacing and tone uneven throughout the movie, and some plot-holes were too big to ignore, the solid performances from the cast, the convincing settings and aesthetics, as well as some nice comedic moments made "Best Friend" an interesting watch.
Poignant performances from the cast (especially from Vivian Hsu), elegant cinematography and directing.
A bittersweet, melancholic story with some strong mother/son relationship elements through two parallel family story arcs that beautifully intervene, resulting in some character growth for both mamas and their boys.
Slow-paced, sad, full of yearning, loneliness and unspoken secrets.
This mismatched trio, with their bantering and shenanigans, was a pleasure to watch.
Suave Namkoong Min, with his plaid suits, his glasses, his wacky attitude & posture was a real eye-candy.
That man never disappoints... 💯
In every episode, I was hoping he got more screen-time. It's about time he gets a leading role!
His character was almost one-dimentional - in fact I found the whole writing at least average, with all those predictable and overused tropes and plot-twists.
If not for DO's acting and the 12 episodes instead of typical 16, "Bad Prosecutor" would have been a bad drama...
Desperately sad but also inspiring, showing a great bonding of a found family and an amazing character development.
Jung Seo Yeon gifted us with one of the most astonishing performances I've ever come across - so so emotional and convincing, more mature than most adult actors, almost natural...
A 10/10 in my book, if only for this amazing child-actress!
The story was confusing and felt really rushed, the pacing uneven, the music distracting, but the visuals, the colouring, the kimonos... chef's kiss!
I took me a few episodes to warm up to it, but what a fun ride it was till the end!
[Ma Tan and Aziz being roommates is enough reason for a 2nd season]
Great script and direction of a novel adaptation, with an outstanding performance by Inoue Mao.