1
2
Pretty cool
This was actually quite enjoyable, from the world-building to the set design to the dynamic of their little group., but it does become a bit cheesy at certain times both in the plot and in the acting — especially when it comes to the international side actors who are clearly not as skilled as the main cast.Was this review helpful to you?
Sweet but also depressing — but in a way that many Asian movies turn out to be.
I did enjoy this one and it was sweet and heart-warming at certain moments, with great performances and lessons. It did end up being a little more cliche than I'd expected though; given the blurb, I did not expect the plot to revert to some of those same tropes we've seen so many times before in other Asian media.Was this review helpful to you?
My heart
I've previously watched the Taiwanese movie and drama so I already knew what the plot was, but there hasn't been a version of this story I haven't cried at. I've got a soft spot for the Taiwanese film just because I watched it first, but this one still tugged at all my heartstrings and made me shed tears.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Sweet nostalgia
I'm not sure if it's just me but as much as I like youth romance movies, my enjoyment is almost always hampered by the addition of a really depressing and dramatic third act, which we sometimes, like in this movie, know is coming from the beginning. While I thought the story was sweet, it's also another instance of "maybe it would've been better in drama form," and we would have more time with these characters, like in the Reply series.Was this review helpful to you?
Sweet little sports drama
For something that came in the early 2000s, this drama is surprisingly down-to-earth and grounded. The leads have fantastic chemistry and I really am a big fan of the fun little banter that they have, while also having very mature conversations.There are some moments here and there that do show this drama's time — some lines that don't age too well — but ultimately I found this show pretty sweet.
Was this review helpful to you?
Confusing
I absolutely loved the first season — it hit all the emotional beats and had a fantastic balance of political, social and emotional arcs. I was really looking forward to this season, and while I think it has some really strong moments, it ultimately felt more confusing than anything to me.There are a LOT of characters and I don't think any of them really stood out to me; it doesn't help that the timeline seems very muddy. The arson incident is not really given enough weight that clarifies exactly what happens "before" and what happens "after," and I also just missed the journalism and legal fall-out we saw in S1. This season seemed to go for more of a political perspective, but it didn't seem to be tied to the incident directly, and was instead just there as a more general backdrop.
Ultimately, I still liked a lot of the social commentary this season tried to give, but I don't think the story was told in a very memorable or clear way.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Aimless
It was pretty obvious after watching S2 that seasons 2 and 3 were basically one season split into two parts, and now that we've seen both of them, I felt like the set-up didn't end up paying off.I can kind of see what they're going with the nihilism theme, but it ultimately feels a bit shallow and not very coherent. There were a lot of character arcs that were randomly cut off because the story went for the route of everyone having to die, and side characters with originally really interesting roles, like the detective or the guard, ended up being really underutilized. It also felt everything started revolving around the baby once it was born — a trope that's always been a pet peeve of mine.
In terms of games, I think my favorite in this one was the jump rope because of its simplicity — I personally enjoy where there's no ill will in the game itself, and death only happens in terms of failure, which is when people start to sabotage others. The Keys and Knives one is a little too on the nose for me.
Ultimately, I think the first season is still the best. The second and third feel like a rehashing of it, with characters and games that are far less engaging.
And yes, the VIPs are still horrible.
Was this review helpful to you?
Bittersweet
A touching and beautiful story, but one that I wish was a drama with longer screentime because it felt like we just scratched the surface of their friendship.The story is pretty strong but it's still slightly hampered by the same issue a lot of older Japanese movies have — an overly dense and twitchy female lead who seems to have little personality beyond ultimate kindness.
Was this review helpful to you?
Didn't click for some reason
Ah. I was really hoping to love this one considering all the glowing reviews, and one thing I do appreciate is that it doesn't do the Hollywood thing of thinking action = excitement. The CGI is fantastic for its small budget, and the film actually takes its time setting up its characters and the world, and Godzilla is more of a vehicle for their development. It just...didn't really work that well for me.Was this review helpful to you?
Comfort is a person
I'd watched the Korean version and thought it was just okay, but the couple was much more endearing and comforting to me in this version. The leads are SO cute together.I still find the ending and time skip just a little bit too fast and frustrating (and yes I am already prejudiced against the separation trope), but I was still quite touched by the emotional scenes and their reunion.
Was this review helpful to you?
Cute but needs more runtime
This is definitely one of those adaptations where the longer runtime of the drama meant there was time to develop the relationship between the leads, as well as the depth of care a teacher has for his students.There are some adorable moments between Geng Geng and Yu Huai (and the acting is good too), but I found it hard to be emotionally moved by their separation and the reasons behind it.
Was this review helpful to you?
A feel-good show
A very warm show about following your dreams no matter how late it feels. Well-acted and well-written throughout, with a really nice bit of found-family theme that I wish the drama leaned into more, because Chae-rok's character felt very disjointed from everyone else (except for Deok-chul) until the very end. I think I might've gone into this one with expectations that were a little too high, because while I enjoyed this one and thought it was a solid, enjoyable watch, I don't think it did anything that I haven't seen before.Was this review helpful to you?
Lengthened drama episode
I liked seeing Totono again for sure and he's just as endearing as always, but I definitely thought this case would be a little more personal and twisted, since it was being made into a movie. Instead, it feels similar to the case from the drama, just longer, and while it's still an interesting case, it's far from my favorite Totono case.Was this review helpful to you?
Peak isekai romance
Such a fun and romantic show from start to finish! I think this is probably one of the best “person goes into a novel” stories that I’ve seen, from the rules of the world-building to how they extended the leads’ love story in the real world. I would’ve loved a bit more time just to see everyone’s reaction to our leads getting together, but I think the romantic development was impeccable overall.The FL is loud and crazy but never gets too annoying, and while the ML sounds like your typical “cold CEO,” he never came off as rude and heartless. There’s a down-to-earthness in all the dialogue and actions of our leads, despite the plot getting REALLY unserious and outlandish sometimes.
The only thing that actually was kind of frustrating and irritating were the ML’s family and your typical corporate battle plot. Especially in the first half when the romance was so endearing, cutting to the sister character constantly yelling just brought the pacing to a screeching halt. I even reached a point where I felt like she was beyond redemption because none of her scenes were enjoyable. While I understand why we have this subplot, I wonder if the pacing could’ve been faster and she could’ve been portrayed as a more layered character early on.
Still, a fun watch and I loved the way the show played on tropes. A great watch and I wish Taiwan would come out with more shows like this.
Was this review helpful to you?
Webtoon come to life
I haven’t read the webtoon, but I can tell you that this drama really captures the essence of action comics — the fight sequences are full of wild moves and crazy camera angles, and the music is so energetic that I always felt myself buzzing with adrenaline afterwards.Even though the show tackles bullying and the educational system, it approaches it in a more satirical way. The antagonists were moustache-twirling type of villains, and I never really doubted that we would have a happy ending, unlike something like Weak Hero Class 1, which tackles similar topics but with a more serious, quiet, and depressing tone that I typically enjoy more, especially to give me the feeling of high stakes.
Despite that, I enjoyed this as a no-brain watch, and it helps that the cast really sells the friendship theme.
Was this review helpful to you?
