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@starswillshine Excellent and insightful feedback. I didn't know about "salt face" and will look it up.

Thank you.

Can anyone give me some feedback? It is interesting that the new generation of Jactors who are considered cute have different looks than the previous generation(s). IMO and I am not trying to be rude, they don't look exactly like the classic Japanese actors. Please don't be angry with me when I think some of them have some Korean's or foreigner's facial features.

Our standard of cuteness or beauty changes over time.

EDIT: grammar

Google translator tells me the original story has a sad ending. I will try to find more information on what is the ending.

http://話題・.com/harugakita-gensaku-arasuji.html

Thanks for your opinion. I know what you mean about feeling rush to end the drama and missing scenes/transitions, It is common in recent Jdramas (e.g., "I'm Sorry I Love You" remake had transition issues and lost the essence of the original story). I think 6 episodes would smooth this story out.

I can understand the perspective of others in regards to whether he actually loves her or just the idea of her family.
IMO, I think both. For some, it would consider he doesn't love her enough to let her join his life. For me, he loves her as much as she is his family that he doesn't want to let her carry a long term baggage with him. I understand the hardship he is going to suffer. His baggage to a foreigner who has to leave her own country and her family is a much greater hardship than his (i.e., paying off medical bills, taking care of ailing mother-in-law, and living in a foreign land). In the long run, Naoko will suffer more than her current life.
I would ask another question back, Does Naoko love him enough to convince him she wants to stay with him? No, she knows she can't take the hardship and she can't leave her family in Japan. I believe if she insists like how she gives money to him, he will let her stay with him.

You may ask: He could bring his mother to Japan. Yes, he could but working in a foreign land is harder for him. See, he has to rely on someone to find work for him. So, he and Naoko will have the same hardship, except now, he has to burden Naoko's family. I don't think Naoko wants that as well.

> Why did you delete your post? Which of course deleted MINE, and that's not very cool.
I don't know what you mean. I did not delete my post.

Probably so and I will respect their opinions.

It's okay that you don't like the ending. But, please don't dump all your emotion on my comment because you don't like what I wrote. Thank you.

Read my comment.

I think people need to stop focusing on the ending. After you finish the series, watch the first episode again and listen to Naoko's thoughts. He has changed her, in finding purpose and meaning in her life, and feeling warm as she knows she is precious to him. The image of family warms everyone's heart, even to Naoko's mother.

Additionally, there is a deeper meaning to the title. All characters are unable to move forward with their lives, as if they are frozen in the winter. By the end of the story, they are moving forward, as if they are experiencing Spring every day.

The leads do have chemistry but subtle, and better than some Jdramas. I agree the first episode has editing issues. The editing gets better in later episodes. The story is more like a slice-of-life with a main theme of "what is Family". So, romance is just a secondary theme. I wish the drama has 6 episodes to smooth the story out, so the progress will look more natural. But, like many Jdramas, the scenes are compact (i.e., focus on main events) and missing the transitions.

I complain about the minimum dialogs given to Kai's character because he can't speak Japanese well enough. He had to learn the language while filming (Saw it on Behind the scene footage). Why the director didn't consider letting him learn Japanese language first before he started filming? That's why, I have so much respect for Korean atress Kim Tae Hee in "Boku to Star no 99 Nichi". She was able to memorize many Japanese dialogs, which are 90% of all her dialogs.

> A Japanese actor, Fukushi Sota, has an uncanny similarity to this EXO band member, yet Kai is the better actor. He's not a deadfisheye at all.

Well, Fukushi Sota looks more like the younger Lee Min-Ho, nothing similar to Kai.
I agree with you about Fukushi Sota's average acting performance. Yes, one disadvantage he has is that his big eyes are inexpressive.

Where to watch this drama with good subtitle?

The drama is full of action and suspense. The main characters are likable but their missions seemed pointless, except those personal ones that were accomplished by themselves. The criminals' extreme ways to get attention from the corrupt government are unrealistic. Being a terrorist is the worst way to seek revenge and change the current State. The last crime story is one example where the writers failed by writing a capable soldier who chooses a stupid way to get his revenge. The boss puts so much effort into forming this Special Investigation Unit and then he destroys the Unit by letting it to be misused by selfish politicians. What is the point? Hence, the high rating here is completely undeserved. It doesn't reflect the obvious flaws (e.g., over-the-top crimes, stupid criminals, purposeless plots, lack of character development, etc) in this drama. Moreover, it took me forever to finish it since I can't find any satisfaction in the stories.

For these type of characters, I prefer the repentance, atonement, or penance arcs; but not redemption. Redemption makes me think their sins or horrible actions can be washed away.

I agree with what you waid about actors, in fact all of them, are different from true self.

I only judge their acting on the characters they played, and not comparing how different from their true self. When I first saw Ohno in the "Locker Room Murder"series, his acting is just as good as any other actors (e.g., Takei Emi) that played eccentric characters in Jdramas. I don't know how he won the awards. Sometimes, famous idols have more privileges than nonfamous ones. People tend to assume these famous idols are talented in every aspect because people are already biased in their perspectives.

Luckily, Lee Min Ki wasn't the lead in "Tomorrow With You". Actor Lee Je Hoon was perfect for TWY.

You have a good list there, The only drama that I object to be nominated as "Best Historical/Sageuk Drama" is Live Up to Your Name (Deserving of the Name) (half historical half modern). This drama has the best actors but it has the uncreative, unimaginative, and Hollywood-ish story. There are flaws and illogicalness in the story.

I have only watched "Fight For My Way" and I generously rated it a 7.0. I agree with your review. The screenwriter lost his direction on this one. The theme (Fight for My Way) has no significant on the main plot. The screenwriter has a creative way with words. The dialogs were playful, witty, and intriguing. Sometimes, I do wonder if he was screenwriter Kim Eun Sook's assistant writer. Anyways, if he improve his skills on "Plot Development", he could write better dramas in the future.

Ok. Thanks.