Daisuke

This was really great, genuinely scary at times、 maybe because I watch this at night. murder in closed setting [from Agatha Christie] not original but how it was done was original and kept me wondering who was the murderer until near the end。 This was also a story where the psychological aspect and motivation were also a very important part of the story and ”woven” into it very well. The characters as high school students were believable, not like adults playing at
students. The idea of a high school student solving murders looks very improbable but here it was carried off really well with Kindaichi having some nice adolescent touches while very convincing in the side of him using his powerful brain for detection. I liked the comedy touches which relieved the dark side without getting silly or ”slapstick”。Finally the story included a battle of minds between an ”evil genius” and the ”hero genius” Kindaichi which promises to continue as an interesting angle to keep us hooked in future stories [reminds me of Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty in the English stories]. I will be watching other Kindaichi stories。

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I started this expecting an amusing light entertainment. There was one funny moment in episode 1 and a few in episode 2, otherwise slow and/or a bit depressing. After watching 4 episodes I had great difficulty seeing where this is going. First it's a comedy of errors, then it changes into something else. It is episode 10, why am I still watching this? Maybe it's the fashion (not on the lead actors) and sets [I like the Kandinsky in the Dam Art Gallery]. The gay "joke" seems to have disappeared or become a downer (not that it's original or funny to start with). LMH seems uncomfortable playing a part with a gay theme, if so why do it? He is not at his most attractive or convincing and Son Ye Jin's character I find positively irritating [not to mention the permanent bad hair day]. Plus if there was little comedy (at least for me) in the first three episodes, there was nearly none ever since, except for the slip up scenes half way through). LMH looks like he has swallowed a lemon. I agree with others after around episode 10 it goes downhill into boring, predictable romance. When I start looking to see how long there is left in the episode it's not a good sign. The drama element livened up around episode 14 but they really draw out the agony in these Korean dramas before reaching the expected end. The theme music was good. Being generous a 7/10 for a neat package interesting at the start but falling off woefully after that. Also, maybe it is a Korean expression but I do not like the comments "I see you as a man" meaning you are not a man if you are gay. LMH was asked why he decided to take this part. I am wondering that too.

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I started this because I like school drama but ended up liking the the middle story much better than the modern school one. I wondered where Orange Marmalade came from but found out in episode 3. the school story, with the band I thought was a bit cliched, though the music was good. The idea of the outcast minority fighting for acceptance was very brave, which made it different from the usual school bullying trope. I am generous with scores, otherwise I think this may only have rated around a 6.5 but the middle part pushed it up, while the school part was not so good. For me, I like Han Shi Hoo (Lee Jong Hyun) better than the lead. Now that all the vampires are coming out, perhaps all those shy gay and bi K pop and K drama stars might consider trusting their fan base will not evaporate just because of who they are and start following their lead?

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Confused at start but as it went on I really liked it. Allowing for different customs according to the time, it seems not much changes in schools over the centuries. Is set in late 1700s during rule of Jeongjo one of best Korean kings and the Sungkyunkwan was real academy. This is a great drama series and the build up was gripping but for me began to lose interest after episode 15 as it turned into just another straight romance, but that's personal to me I suppose. Also not in love with the ending, but difficult to give totally satisfying ending. Still give it 10/10. Music was great also. I almost never rewatch but may watch this again for characters, background, beautiful costumes, as for me plot not so important.

I like Yoo Chun's and Ah In's characters in this but why is it I can never find another drama where the same actors (not just these) have different roles I like? Despite him being villain here, very sad to hear of Jeon Tae Soo passing away.

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I quite liked part one when it started, but not impressed by part 2. The 2037 background is not very convincing. It gets quite confusing. Which one is Bum Gyun and Joon Hyuk? The 2 part formula is interesting idea but relation between two parts quite unclear. Now over the half way mark and the title is very appropriate, as I think it is going round in circles and becoming quite a struggle to watch. Towards the end picked up again, more action and story coming together. But what happened? Was she taken back? I think it could have been less episodes. 8.7 rating is around right.

Male lead part 2 quite handsome. Bromance between brothers but otherwise very slight. IMO real bromance is between non-related persons. Not one I would re-watch.

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Although it is old fashioned I am liking this drama. It seems to get better as it goes on and I feel interested in the characters and what will happen to them. Yoon Se In (Kim Dae Woo) seems to have a leading part so I don't understand why he's listed as support role. I like his character a lot. I found the episodes centring on Seung Jae from about 9 becoming quite heavy, rather than just seeing the school life, but it was necessary to provide a story and it really developed into a good mystery towards the end. It confronts some quite serious issues, but not quite so violent as parts of School 2013. I shall miss the characters. It's a pity that some of them do not seem to have had any real or lasting follow up in their acting careers. It's really difficult to pick any stand outs as they were all good in their way. Jin Woo's (Sul Sung Min) character was the good guy most of us would like to be but can't! Anyone who likes school dramas, watch this. It was a lovely series and characters . Oh what shall I do now it's ended? Wait a bit and then watch it again.

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Good drama, better than expected, full of real characters [teachers and students] you feel are genuine people and you really want to know what happens to them. What a sweet temperament Lee Hyun Woo has. Ep. 10/11 - so far as math's concerned you could say this one went off at a complete tangent. I suppose you have to have "plot development" but the romance angle frankly bores me and I went off watching - back now and it seems to be picking up. On the + side, that director woman is wonderful - the way she can pack so much comedy into just saying "Bo???" is priceless. Ep. 14 and the floodgates of emotion burst open as the high point of the drama approaches. Overall, despite losing its way a bit in the middle, this has been a good drama, good idea, with personal stories interweaving in a mostly not too intrusive way. Probably more episodes than could carry the weight of the idea - I usually feel that conclusion when I stop watching for a while, interest flags but picks up when you watch again - well. I did and they were really tugging at your heartstrings with non-stop emotion and tears in eps 15 and 16. It was not a totally predictable ending. It was wrapped up pretty well with everyone staying in character (including Chan Doo's dad). You felt for and lived with these characters by the end. If that's the test of a good drama, it passes with honours. Very hard to mark this one as there were flaws but overall it caught you up in the story and characters.

Story - the premise is not that original, though in this case it was done very well and the way it was told and the characters (especially teachers) were original. Rare for me to watch two episodes one hour long in a row but I did here. The bit right at the end brightens you up after a lot of emotion.

Characters - brilliant

Music - some of it got on my nerves tbh, especially the folksy music and "fighting" music.

Re-watch - A hard slog this course of study to through again. Also, when you know how it comes out it loses the dramatic tension towards the end. Not one to re-watch for me but recommended for others, it's worth sticking with. My overall rating may seem illogical given the others are sometimes low, but reflects the good parts that really got you involved - the sum of its parts were better than the individual categories.

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Defying brain damage, dislocated limbs and ruptured spleens our heroes led by Tsukasa aka Nakajimo Kento come out on top with brilliant teeth intact, hair barely ruffled and knuckles remarkably ungrazed seeing as they had just been smashing people's faces in for the last 90 minutes. All good macho fun, so OTT as to become comedic. I love the idea of a few boys weighing 65 kilos and standing 1.7m toughing it out against battalions of supersize godzillas. If only. Obviously these appeal or there wouldn't be a market for them. Maybe it feeds into the samurai instincts (without the refinements). The best part was Tsukasa caught in the act of "teaching Yoji (I think) how to kiss" - well they would say that, wouldn't they? Nice boys really. 9/10 for the handsome guys, no re-watch value though.

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This had the most bizarre opening episode - highly unattractive male characters and "celeb"/rich kid background but the cute female saved it. Then you got curiously drawn in to see what happened next, so continued watching. Up to episode 5 - good, despite an uncertain start (I mean are rich/celeb kids really that openly awful) and some predictable plot, boy-girl etc I hoped it would not lose momentum over so many episodes, but was drawn in then, though. Some nice comic turns from Seo Ji's step-mother. EDIT. As at ep 8 this keeps taking unpredicted turns which takes it to a new level of excitement and interest, not just a bunch of kids flopping around in a martial arts school (yawn), though I'm beginning to find the M/F romance angle all very trying and detracts from the story. Too much intrusive music. ep. 11 more s/natural interest, too much martial arts for me. Like the lipstick, boys. This gets better. Just don't understand KangHae's review, but each to his taste. I am now on ep.14 and the soppy romance is really getting in the way of the action while doing nothing for the emotions (this person's anyway). I also continue to find the music intrusive - that's not to say it's not good or appropriate, just why must there be overwrought singing to virtually every scene, literally drowning out what the characters are saying and what's going on ? But Lee Hyun Woo saves it for me, he's a good actor. Ep. 15 things hotting up again, looks like a good ending in prospect. I'll be glad to say "Goodbye" to that song, though, it's like a headache. Ep.16 - good finish, it was certainly a "cliffhanger" :) - everything neatly wrapped up (too neatly for my taste). Predictable in outline if not in all the details. I'm still not sure what's supposed to have happened in that moment of high drama. It was a real pity the bromance angle receded so much during most of the series. And why the h*** did Yoon Shi Woo change from blonde to dark half way through?? Certainly did him no favors. I did not find the ending, where the writers seem to have wanted everyone to literally have everything, convincing. It seems the writers opted for safety and their conventional audience. Then we have the strong bromantic love suddenly hitting us in the very last scene! which suggests to me this was supposed to matter even more than their blissful wedded partners. Hope it did. But the whole thing was very confusing. So it was good enough to stay the course - which for me is an achievement over 16 episodes - but for me sagged a bit in places, so had to have faith. Should have been shorter in my humble opinion. For me the lack of bromance after the earlier episodes did not help. They just managed to come up with some plot twists and action often enough to keep the flame burning. I'd say 10 in places, 6.5 in others but 8.5 overall. I'm not marking down the overall due to lousy music and indifferent re-watch value, though. It's the story and acting that count. Did not quite live up to my initial expectations or the excitement and bromance built up in some episodes . Very unlikely to re-watch.

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This was a good drama with some very emotional, but also heartwarming moments. It also got a serious message across about the problems of growing up part of a gay minority - prejudice, bullying, alienation, just making connections so you can live your life. Pity it was spoilt for me by the tacky ending. I mean, come on, there's a limit to how far you can make up with a guy and his girlfriend/wife who trampled all over your deepest feelings. You can only move on by leaving the unrequited love interest behind! Zhengxi acted the part well, he also has a very sweet expression! I also liked his childhood girlfriend and the guy he finally hooked up with (much better looks than Tao Ye). The Tao Ye character I didn't like at all in the latter part. A true friend would have left Zhengxi alone to get on with his life.

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Really great feel-good movie, just what you need to raise your spirits on a gloomy winter day. For me this movie was made by the gorgeous, sultry Tokuyama Hidenori (Ootani) playing the moody, jealous partner of flighty, upbeat, "everybody's favourite friend", Tachibana (Saito Yasuka). Tokuyama's spoilt brat reactions when MIsuzawa (Matsuoka Rinako) puts in an appearance are priceless. The more serious turn into which this leads the relationship and the way the sensitivities of all three protagonists are resolved is nicely done and gives a bit more depth to the movie without detracting from the happy feel of the movie. For me, almost a perfect score for a movie of its type.

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