tleaf

Just give it a try and lower your expectation. The drama won't have the same tone, pacing, and atmosphere as the Korean version. So far, I am very satisfy with this remake.

I found out that 2 different directors are filming this drama, Third episode that was filmed by the 2nd director is surprisingly good. I can feel the suspense while watching the latest episode.

All I can say it is, nothing beats the Original version unless the original version is bad to begin with. For a person who have watched quite an amount of Jdramas, Actors Sakaguchi Kentaro and Kitamura Kazuki are doing a very good job since it is rare to see Japanese characters expressing intense human emotions. I am waiting to see more of Kichise Michiko's performance when her screen-time increases in future episodes .

The Korean screenwriter and the director had set the standard for this remake. So far, this remake is the best among other remakes of Kdramas. So, just give them a chance and don't judge the remake so harshly.

There is another classic Kdrama that you can take a look.
https://kisskh.at/1317-hotelier

Its Japanese version (Remake)
https://kisskh.at/966-hotelier-2007

All synopsis states that Yunsuh becomes autistic after his mother died. Can the term "autistic" be loosely used for people who develop other forms of "selective mutism"?

OP, I recommend you to watch https://kisskh.at/664-all-about-eve . It contains some classic tropes but its story is very different from your list in the article. The story is surprisingly modern considering that is was broadcasted in Year 2000.

As expected, most of them are young actors.

Why nobody writes an article for older actors ( in their mid 30s to ? ) who "will make your heart ache when they cry"? Example Joo Jin-Mo ?

"Or even touching a persons shoulders could be seen as sexual harassment."
Women touch men shoulders a lot, though. Don't you think this is going a little too far. I mean, it will make it harder for men and women to develop friendship?

I want dramas that portray men-women friendship, not end up in romance like any typical story. There aren't many Western TV series in this regards too.

Yes, it does. The issue is known to exist in Hong Kong entertainment industry long before the #metoo movement.

Korean dramas tend to be more serious in addressing topics on corruption, sexual assault/harassment, inequality, and Justice.

However, the seriousness is lacking in Jdramas. Even though "Mondai no Aru Restaurant" touches a little on sexual harassment, it fails to address the problem with a satisfying outcome. "Higanbana" fails to show how to solve gender discrimination in the workplace. In "Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi", an old man touches a young woman's breast but nothing happens. Nobody stops him or confronts his action. I was disappointed with the remake of "Misaeng", named "Hope - Kitai Zero no Shinnyu Shain (2016)" because it minimized the sexual harassment and gender discrimination issues in the office environment; while "Misaeng" brought these issues out and showed how women deal with them. Regarding the issue of corruption, I am not satisfy with the way Jdramas addressing it. It seems they aren't open to these kind of issues and develop stories that show possible ways that protagonist(s) will deal with them. Thus, makes me think why "Japanese society is not ready for" these kind of social issues. I think if Japanese producers are serious about these issues, they can do it. Check "Silent Poor" out, this is the only Jdrama that is serious about several social issues, including Poverty.

EDIT: Hope - Kitai Zero no Shinnyu Shain (2016)

Missing of these?

- Wipe foam or ice cream on a girl's or boy's mouth? It zooms to the mouth area to unconsciously suggest sexual attraction.
- Back hug?
- Nonna touches younger man's hair indicating he is so cute?
- Accidental kiss?
- Unintentional body contact, e.g. accidental hug or fall on to each other on the floor or a man save a women from an accident?
- Letting audiences to hear the heartbeat of one of the MCs? Or one of the MCs hold his/her chest because his/her heart is beating fast suddenly?
- First eye contact?


Looks like Kdrama's screenwriters need to be more creative to create new troops.

Here is how I understand it:

Her "444" father doesn't exist after he died in Human Realm. He practically disappear. So, the "444" father can't collect her original human father of Ha Ram.

It seems, there is a missing piece of information that the director must have overlooked. Scenario 1: Joon has something to do with the truck driver that cause an accident, killing Ha Ram's father. IF Joon doesn't exist in Human realm, then the accident doesn't occur. Scenario 2: Ha Ram's father did die but her mother remarries to another guy. Ha Ram is born via her mother womb with a diferent father, and leads a different life.

Joon took over the ID of "444" since the original "444" was hiding in the Human realm and that position is unfilled.

Joon exists in the underworld realm but his existence in the Human realm is erased completely. So, no human can remember a person named Joon, but all the grim reapers know Joon still exists in their realm. Probably, he is stuck in the underworld forever?

Ha Ram's "444" father disappears to another alternate realm, meaning he doesn't exist in both underworld and Human realms after he died in Human realm. but his existence in both realms is remembered by both humans and older grim reapers.

Please add Spoiler tag.

Monk Xuanzang existed in history.
The actual journey to the west based on historical text: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
Movie adaptation: https://kisskh.at/19416-xuan-zang

I haven't watch the movie yet, so I don't want to assume this movie is anti-Japan. Only after I have watched it, then I can tell.

I have watched some China movies and can identify the anti-Japan and anti-US propaganda they inserted into the movie. However, we have to be careful on making assumption that a movie is about "anti-country". For example: Are we going to say all movies about WWII Nazi and holocaust are "anti-Germany"? Or all movies about British colonization are "anti-Britain"? No, right because these are historical facts. If the historical facts are told exactly they are and without any intention of propaganda, then the movie isn't "anti-country". It is about speaking out of an atrocity that needs to be make aware of. So, hopefully humans would really learn from the past generation's bad decision and won't let such atrocity happens again. Of course, sadly this atrocity is happening right now in other countries but not many people are paying attention and advocate to stop it because the guilty party wants to sweep embarrassing deeds under the rug.

> That's more explicit.
Haha, yes. And, dialogs that aren't translated into English subtitle are picked up on the Chinese subtitle. So, I have a much better understanding after rewatching the drama in Chinese subtitle.

> but I don't see how a woman who's got the balls to travel from Japan to Jeju to find out why her lover left suddenly does not have courage to sit him down & confirm all these reasons that they have to somehow part FOREVER.
You have a point. The screenwriter could change the ending of the original short novel but chose not to. Could it be he/she want to play it safe? Hopefully, someone who read the short novel can help us understand more on ending.

Continue on my previous reply in regards to the Final Episode.

Chinese subtitle on Naoko final monologue: It seems humans may not die or leave. Deeply loving - if this feeling remains, that person will remain in my heart forever. It is like a flower's seed holding on (dormant) in the dark soil during winter time. Pain and tears, even my heart is in frozen period, these memories become my strength. I will go towards the place where the warm light shines towards the future.

(May be the monologue will give you a clue what the "Sayonara" actually means in the final scene)

I watch the drama with English subtitle and realize the English sub isn't sufficient to translate Japanese language accurately. So, I watch the last episode in Chinese subtitle ( http://bigdramas.org/春天來了/5.html ). The subtitle is much better and convey the deep meaning of Naoko's realization.

Example: Final hug scene - When Ji-Won runs to her and hugs her tight.
Naoko's monologue from Chinese Translation: I can't breath. When his very warm body (After he ran, his body is heating up) warms me up, I finally understand. [replay scenes of her memories with Ji-Won and she remembered he told her " Naoko, you have changed me, Thank you."]. This man has a very warm and gentle heart. That's why he chooses this difficult road, and also his foolish stubbornness. Because of all these, we have to separate.
(From Ji-Won friend earlier: Naoko finally realizes that Ji-Won loves her and he doesn't want her to live a hard life with him.)

> I feel like everyone has a different idea of the epitome of a good looking guy
Yes. I agree but I don't have any idea of the epitome of a good looking guy.

FYI to all,

Here is an article "What Makes a Man a ”Shiogao Danshi” (Salty Faced Man) and Who is Japan’s Favorite?"

http://jpninfo.com/50438

I still don't understand why "Salty" is used to describe a man's face.

@Ceki I meant some of their facial features, and not saying that they look Korean or foreign.