At times like that we need friends who help us, who'll reach their hand out, who'll walk the difficult and hard path towards that faraway dream. Because sometimes you simply can't do it alone. And why should you have to, if you have friends by your side who are willing to support you?
If you ask me that's the main thought of the whole drama. People aren't born strong. When they're alone they'll often feel insecure and won't be able to do what they truly want. People are able to get stronger when they have the unconditional support from friends though, people who'll stand by their side no matter what. People who'll fight for them. Who'll bring happiness but also lighten the pain and sadness.
But what Tumbling teaches you is that those people, your dear friends, are also only humans. They will also get hurt, feel insecure, get angry, lonely or frustrated. They're also capable of losing hope or making wrong choices. And just as they help you, you should support them when they need it.
Tumbling is a really amazing and very touching drama. I am simply yet madly in love with it.
At first I thought the drama would only be about Tumbling itself and bullying but it deals with so much more than that, it honestly surprised me, in a good way. In my opinion the actors are the ones who make the drama as great as it is, every character has it's own role within the story and gets the opportunity to grow and change slowly.
Tumbling sounds like a typical sport drama but it's so much more than that. Besides the sport itself it deals with your normal teenage problems, insecurity, loneliness, violence, sadness but mainly about hopes, dreams and above all; friendship.
It's really hard for me to explain what I love about the drama without spoiling too much but I guess it's the way the characters develop themselves. Even though Wataru starts off as your typical delinquent, he turns out to be so much more. And not only him, everyone in the drama gets a moment to shine.
Even though there are cheesy or cliché moments I think the drama pulled everything off perfectly fine, the story is simple yet really touching at moments and the actors are all simply amazing.
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This review may contain spoilers
It had everything to be the best series
I'll try to be as objective as possible and English is not my native language, so sorry if there are mistakes.The proposal of the series is really good. The themes addressed in each episode could have a greater positive impact, however, the series is short and the episodes didn't have enough running time for the plot to be better developed. As good as the cast is, good acting alone is not enough.
EPISODES BL 1, 4, and 6
Episode 1 WOULD YOU BE MY LOVE - The main couple has a lot of chemistry, that is unquestionable, but the bullyng scenes are very disturbing. In my opinion, they focused much more on the bullyng scenes, than on developing the relationship between Sun and Ozone.
Episode 4 ONCE UPON A TIME - Really the themes covered are very strong, but the story was very poorly developed. Ballon and Mek keep their relationship a secret and "apparently" talk about everything. Ballon values his family very much, and Mek is hurt that he feels left behind because he only has Ballon. A lot of things happen during the course of the episode, they even get to break up, and as much as in the end they stay together, there isn't even a dialogue between them, it doesn't show how they resolve their conflicts, so it doesn't convince me.
Episode 6 VS LOVE - In my opinion, this was the best story of all. The proposed theme was well covered, it is very straightforward, and unlike some of the previous episodes, the ending is conclusive.
For me, among the BL stories, the story in episode 6 was by far the best.
EPISODE GL 3
Episode 3 REMEMBER - Summarized in a few words "I betrayed you and lied to you, but I still love you" is about that. At the end we don't know what happens to the characters.
It started well, but in the end it was the worst episode of the series.
HETEROSEXUAL EPISODES 2, 5 and 7
Considering that most people watching this series are more BL fans, the theme proposed in these, has less impact, because it is not BL and does not address the themes related to it.
Episode 2 RHYTHM'S HEART - I didn't feel any chemistry between the main couple. There is nothing interesting.
Episode 5 BREAKUP ZONE - The story is about long-time friends who end up developing feelings for each other. In my opinion, the acting was very weak. As friends, they are very cute, But as a couple, there is no chemistry and the kissing scene would be better if there wasn't.
Episode 7 50% MY PUPPY LOVE - This is not the strongest story of them all, but it is good nonetheless. The story deals with the theme of friendship and first love. There is not much interaction between Bean and Thankao until the end of the episode, but watching it makes us relive our school days, when we started to like someone, and admire that person from afar, how we were shy to approach them... and also about the friendships we want to keep for the rest of our lives and conflicts over their misunderstandings. We can feel the tension and shyness between Beam and Tonkao and the sadness between Beam and his friend when they are fighting.
It is a cute and funny story, well worth watching.
Among the heterosexual episodes, only episode 7 is good, mainly because of the good acting, the characters are expressive and have chemistry.
Overall, it had everything to be one of the best series, because it approaches several different and very specific themes. The proposal is good, but the plot failed.
I will watch again only episodes 6 and 7.
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Anti-heroes. Down to earth. Authentic. Harsh. Compassionate. No Cinderella story, yet a love story.
I stumbled across this comparatively 'old' KDrama (2002) because of actress Gong Hyo-Jin. But actually here particularly Lee Na-young and Yang Dong-geun impressed me with their strong and down-to-earth performance. Once again I discovered a little gem of early KDrama art.Rather tranquil. True to life. Authentic. No fairy tale. No Cinderella story. No power games of the mighty, but simple everyday life of anti-heroes. Yes, down to earth. Very. I was delighted. This KDrama - like "My Mister" or "When the Camellia Blooms" - is centred around a quite authentic, ordinary world. Not spectacular. Neither in action, nor in scenery. The story is also not about the rich, beautiful, successful people that are always welcome, but about those who are less noticed (in the media): about ordinary people who didn´t have an excellent education, yet earn their money somehow. It is about a world comparably most people unfortunately live in - about their worries, hardships and, if it can´t be avoided, illnesses, too.
In its centre: a young, inconsiderate, unwieldy pickpocket who is confronted with the diagnosis of brain tumor. It is about the people in his immediate environment: family, friends, girlfriends, police. About a love traingle. About choices in life. Reconsideration, too. That's not really 'exciting'. But touching. Unspectacularly impressive. A mirror of compassion and humanity.
"Ruler of your own World" dates back to the early days of KWave. At the time, this KDrama was not as successful (also internationally) as i.e. the productions of the "Endless Love Series". However, it was highly valued and appreciated in its own country for the authentic story (with comparably hardly in KDrama otherwise frequently elaborated makjang). "Ruler of your own World" is considered the ´best´ serial production of 2002 (vs. "Winter Sonata" as the most ´successful´ of the same year.)
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Great Story, Fine Acting
Step into the enchanting world of "Divine Destiny," a captivating romance between Zhang Yinyin (played by Yang Ying aka Angelababy) and Ji Ruochen (played by Ma Tianyu). Their love knows no bounds as they face incredible challenges, even risking their own lives for each other. Together, they become stronger with their increasing supernatural abilities, fighting for love, for their fellow cultivators, and for the salvation of the three worlds. In the realm of fantasy, the gods are thought to reign supreme with goodness, and the demons and devils wicked and bad. In reality, it's precisely the opposite.Zhang Yinyin shines as an intelligent, chivalrous, headstrong and spirited character who is adored as the big sister of her sect. She may be authoritative and explosive at times, but that's what makes her so endearing. Yang Ying's acting brings a lovable charm to the fiery Zhang Yinyin, even with a few moments of imperfection. And her stunning transformation into the foxy fox devil - the CGI work is top-notch!
Zhang Yinyin meets and falls in love with Ji Ruochen who has a mysterious background which adds intrigue to the story. From operating a black shop to a mistaken identity, his journey is filled with twists and turns. With a burst of enthusiasm, Zhang Yinyin simply couldn't resist bringing Ji Ruochen home to her sect, and that's where his amazing cultivator journey begins, and the sparks of love start to fly between him and Zhang Yinyin. Ma Tianyu does a commendable job portraying the seemingly clueless and obedient Ji Ruochen, and later, the powerful demon lord.
A compelling story wouldn't be complete without its fair share of antagonists. In this tale, we encounter several outright obnoxious characters and some with shades of gray. Among them, the most vexing is the consort to the crown prince with that distinctive sneer and high-pitched voice. Alongside the cunning prime minister, they plot and scheme to gain control. But their journey takes a twist, leading to a resolution that brings relief.
Among the more complex characters are the disgraced gods, whose actions stem from obsession and vengeance. Thankfully, they eventually come to their senses and reflect on their deeds. It's a journey of redemption for them, adding depth to the story.
My Verdict
While "Divine Destiny" may have some plot holes and logic flaws, it's a delightful drama that keeps the viewers entertained. It's a pleasure to see familiar faces and enjoy the chemistry between the main leads. So if you're looking for some romantic fantasy fun while waiting for new releases, "Divine Destiny" deserves a chance.
Recommended!
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama tested every last bit of my patience.Everything in it was done at the most shallow, surface level possible. We were given no insight into why our characters made the decisions they made, no deeper look into their inner struggles and desires and motivations; no emotionally revealing conversations between the characters or internal dialogue to bring us into their inner worlds; no explanation for what our female leads ultimate goal was or if she even had one; just a bare bones story trying real hard to be devoid of any substance. Which is all the more frustrating as it had so much potential for substance. The bones of a good story were there. The writers just never put any meat on them.
Understand that none of this is the fault of the actors or actresses. They did the best with what was given to them. (Although I truthfully wasn't impressed with Yong Jun Hyung at all.) I quite liked both female leads and am more angry For them for what a crappy story they were handed than I could ever be At them. Chae Seo Jin is aces as Oh Go Woon, and that's the main reason I didn't end up hating her or her character. They're both too lovable. But while Kim Min Young is clearly just as good of an actress, and Lee Seul Bi had some really solid character moments in the first handful of episodes and in the finale, neither of them were ever given a chance to shine. Chae Seo Jin/Oh Go Woon get all the screentime, and eventually, you begin to think the posters and teasers were all just an elaborate lie, and Lee Seul Bi isn't the main character after all.
I will say that there is a lot to enjoy about the finale. The first half ties up a number of plot points in ways that are genuinely satisfying. It also offers up some deeper explanations and explorations of the drama's theme that the story was sorely lacking before that point. Honestly, episode 12 has more story development than all 11 other episodes combined, and it dulled some of the frustration I had going into it. But the second half of the episode is a total waste, and the episode as a whole brings up some really fascinating ideas that the drama Could have explored and Should have explored but Didn't explore, so it ultimately just leaves you feeling frustrated again.
Should you watch Coffee, Do Me A Favor? No. Coffee, Do Me A Favor is not a good drama, and you should not watch it.
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Even though what happened is unfathomable, despite all the tragedy, the deeper focus is on hope
A true story. Not the only one of this kind, unfortunately. This one took place in South Korea in 2008 and was filmed in the KMovie "Hope" in 2013. (In the original: "Wish" - the meaning of "Sowon", the name of the eight-year-old protagonist.)This film production, which was shown in neighboring Asian cinemas, too, achieved great success largely through word of mouth. The story is shocking and touching, while the film adaptation laid its focus less on exploiting the crime itself, than on sensitively dealing with how it affected the little girl, her family, friends of family and classmates. It's less about the incredibly unscrupulous, brutal act than about the family's struggle to continue to come to terms with the unfathomable and the consequences on a wide variety of levels - psychological, physical, social, financial, legal, media-related and everyday practical.
“Hope” received quite some film awards. Despite all the heartbreaking tragedy, the KMovie deliberately intents to touch people in a positive sense. The KMovie wants to open up an, nevertheless, optimistic perspective towards a life 'after'. This, obviously, is tough and challenging. Surely it takes time and even more patience. Heart-rending in this context, for example, is the wonderfully authentic portrayal of the massively threatened father-daughter relationship. Unexpectedly, though, some light comes into the darkness. Sol Kyung-gu - in the role of a desperate father, whose daughter is in danger of slipping away from him due to her terrible experiences – apparently did not take off his distinctive costume throughout the entire shoot in order to maintain high contact with the emotions and their intensity the whole time. And Lee Re, in her debut on the big screen as an eight-year-old daughter, also touches the heart, as does Uhm Ji-won, who initially apparently didn't have the courage to take on her role of the mother. She is also deeply touching with her convincing acting that gets right under your skin.
Even though, what happened is and remains unfathomable, despite all the tragedy, the KMovie explicitly focuses on hope. This way, throughout those 122 stirring minutes it is not all grim all the time.
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SIDE NOTE: --- The Cho Doo-soon case ---
The story refers to a rape case from 2008, when a drunken 57-year-old man brutally raped an eight-year-old girl in a public toilet in Ansan. Being as brutal as he was, the girl suffered permanent damage. However, the man (who before had already been convicted of rape, among other things) got away with only 12 years in prison. He consequently kept up his mantra, that being so drunk that day he couldn´t remember anything. This had already helped him in previous cases. Here too, he was given mitigating circumstances due to his age, the influence of alcohol and his mental state.
The rape in Asan was extremely gruesome. (The details were not in so much details explicit in the KMovie and I also do not want to waste any letter for them here, either.) Suffering from her internal and external injuries, the girl was hospitalized for eight months. She took an artificial anus back home. Medical treatment was followed by psychiatric treatment. A year later she was at least stabilized enough to go back to school. But even several years later in 2020, she apparently can handle harmless cartoons on TV only, avoids any news and tough topics, i.e. she is still extremely fragile and unstable when it comes to the issues involving any violence at all.
The investigation and trial in this case from 2008 didn´t get covered in glory. On the contrary. The public outcry was great and extended, among other things, to a petition to the Blue House for retrial. The case also led to a number of legislative proposals being submitted by the Democrats, which would, for example, suggest to imprison repeat offenders of sexual offenses against minors in special facilities for life, or e.g. concern the legal handling of sexual offenses committed under the influence of alcohol. But in the end they didn't go through, nor did various petitions.
Instead, the electronic ankle bracelet was the method of choice when Cho Doo-soon was released in 2020. The cost of continuous monitoring of Cho Do-soon's electronic ankle bracelet during the first 4 months after release only, was estimated by the Ministry of Justice at over 200 million won (over 140,000 euros). In addition, apparently 71 security cameras were set up specifically to protect Ansan's residents from Cho, who still has his wife and his home there…
By the way, the infamous Cho Doo-soon case was also topic in the K-dramas "Taxi Driver 2", "Voice 4" and "Vigilante".
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It's short, full of emotions and fun to watch. I really loved the story. I love this old-school themed stories, so it was for me. It's based on 1979 time period and I love that time set in here. Plus the Deagu dialect is really nice to hear, something different from Seoul dialect we are used to.
It has 'Reply series' vibe to it - probably heard that from a lot of people - which is true (I started to watch the Reply series because of this drama).
This is a text book story of coming to age and first love and crushes. And it truly is about girl generation - but not that Girl Generation - we can see Jung Hee and Hee Joo who are in their teens, her mother, Auntie, number 3 all this woman, in different age group of that time fighting their own problems and facing them. And it is about girls in different generation coming together.
The boys are here, but they help to make the girls look more stronger, not the other way around. Though it doesn't stop being just about the characters either. It shows - glimpse of it at least - how the people used to live that time, things that shaped our culture into something that we see now. And you can see how much we have changed. And how much we haven't.
Plus you can ship anyone with anyone. You can try the drama, just to see if your's makes to the end or not. (Mine did!).
The actors are all new to me. But I liked Bona. She made Lee Jung Hee more relatable to me. Love Chae Seo Jin. Have a crush on Lee Jong Hyun. I don't know about others but I really liked Do Hee's performance as Shim Ae Sook. To see her character grow like that, it was really satisfying. I really liked that.
The OST's in it's self are nice. But it has some of the top 1970's song in it, both Korean and English. And it makes you feel that old time vibe. Love that.
Some of the moments in this drama are my favorite, so I'm going to re-watch those and probably the whole thing too. Cause why not? It's a nice drama. It's short but the story end's perfectly with it's self.
In the end it gives 'complete' feeling. And I can imagine the rest of the story in my mind. It's a really cool drama. Do watch it!! #HopingForAnotherSeason
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This review may contain spoilers
In my opinion, Kaitou Tantei Yamaneko is a truly excellent drama! I thoroughly enjoyed every episode the characters and acting being a high point. The story didn't go in the direction I was expecting - that's for sure, but nevertheless if you want comedy perfectly matched with drama, action, and suspense with real edged-of-your-seat and knot-in-your-throat moments you'll enjoy this! The Story:
Firstly I've got to say DON'T READ SPOILERS! Don't scroll down to the comments or look for screenshots! You'll thank me later! Some of the best moments come from the crazy twists this drama throws at you. That's partly why the story didn't go in the direction I was expecting.
Episode to episode it's not as over-arching-plot driven as most mysteries. Some may call some KTY episodes 'filler' as it's focus is rarely it's over arching plot. It's focus is instead on it's fantastic characters. You will fall in love with every one of them I guarantee it. No character is cheaply written, every character has real heart behind them and when the mystery does pick up speed in episode 8 you really care about who these people are and what's happening to them.
The Acting:
The acting is phenomenal. Kamenashi really gives it his all and clearly had a blast playing Yamaneko. He goes from goofy comedy, to heat wrenching drama, to back-flippin' action with ease and is supported by a fantastic cast. Narimya perfectly plays the put-upon and abused Katsumura and later in the series really pulls out all the stops. Hirose went way beyond my expectations almost immediately. Sasaki's comic timing is perfect, Otsuka and Nanao also made me love them, and Ikeuchi was perfect. In fact, all these actors and the other supporting/guest actors were so perfectly cast it's astounding!
The Music:
It's certainly not your average jdrama score. The way the orchestral theme music came in every time, either comically or seriously, was perfect and really sets you up for this slightly bizarre drama. The rest of the music throughout the episode is also brilliantly scored, the composer really outdid himself! UNLOCK by KAT-TUN, apart from being one of their best singles (imo), fits nicely into this drama and is never misplaced only ever coming in at the end and never drowns anything out.
Rewatch Value:
While this drama was coming out I was watching every episode two or three times! It's hilarious, cute, and Kame is a lovely bit of eye-candy when he's not acting like a doofus (and sometimes when he is). However as with any mystery once you know then ending and all the twists - watching it from episode one again is a completely different experience. So it's hard to say this is completely rewatchable but I certainly will come back to it in a month or so as it is quite episodic.
Other thoughts:
The ending has been a problem for some people and I can see where they are coming from. When I first watched it I was a bit taken aback. It's not that things are left hanging (though there is room for a sequel). As I said, you really end up loving these characters and to see what happens to them... it's not unsatisfying it's just unexpected. Once I had finally digested the events of the last three episodes I actually think I ended up respecting the show more. As with any show that has twists, things don't always go the way you were expecting.
Speaking of expectations - this drama had far more comedy than I was first l thought it would!
Overall:
This drama really packs a punch. From episode one to ten I was 100% on board loving every second. As a Kame fan I must admit that I sometimes do the very bad thing of skipping every scene Kame is not in. However, with this series I had literally no desire to do that. Every character is well acted and the story is very compelling. I highly recommend this series to anyone be they a Kame fan or not!
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Beware of false prophets.
Ever Night is an epic fantasy adventure hit set in a mystical, ancient world where the balance of power between rival kingdoms is maintained with the aid of powerful warlords and cultivator sects. The vivid stunning palette is infused with an ominous sense of dark prophecy. The soothsayers warn that the child of darkness will bring an ice age or ever night and chaos to the world.The main protagonist Ning Que makes an thrilling debut as a lethal, almost ferally vicious warrior in a ferocious, spectacular desert ambush. This opening sets the tone for some of the most exhilarating and well choreographed fight scenes that Chinese drama has to offer. The drama is visually spectacular and delivers on the hype on many fronts, especially in terms of its movie quality production values. The sweeping breadth of the story can be overwhelming in the sheer number of characters representing different kingdoms and sects that makes the story appear more complicated than it really is. This is really the story of Ning Que (and by extension Sang Sang's) quest for revenge that sets him on an epic journey to become one of the strongest cultivators in Haotian.
Ning Que is an anti-hero. He is ruthless, cunning, manipulative and can be quite dishonourable. While at at times Chen Feiyu's acting could do with some polishing, he is superbly cast as Ning Que. He emanates that simmering resentment and burning thirst for vengeance that propels Ning Que to prevail against overwhelming odds and superior foes. With his lithe powerful build, his combat scenes are bloodthirsty and violent and his facial expressions are vicious, almost feral. Ning Que's arch-rival the glorious Prince Longqing is an interesting mirror character on a parallel path that makes different choices at important milestones along the way. What is quite remarkable about this story is there are no outright villains. The world they exist in is cruel and fraught with peril and conflict among competing interests. Thus both the antagonists and protagonists have to do ruthless, even terrible things to survive.
Unlike others, I am not troubled by the relationship between Sang Sang and Ning Que. They have no blood ties, they are simply found family and have a complex and multi-layered relationship that is likely predestined. In fact, I think it is inevitable where the relationship must go. As much as I enjoy their undeniable chemistry and clear bond immensely, to me the real issue is that Chen Feiyu and Song Yiren should never be cast together in a romantic capacity. Chen Feiyu is exceptionally tall and Song Yiren is exceptionally petite. Her youthful features and small size makes her look like a child next to him. This visual imprint is so strong it is practically impossible to imagine them as a couple. Their relationship in Season 1 remains platonic and is not troubling but it is a good thing that Wang Hedi replaces Chen Feiyu as Ning Que for Season 2.
In terms of storytelling, there are issues with pacing and the breadth and depth of the character and world building is perhaps overly ambitious in scale. Even though I love how there are different schools of cultivation and cultivators are able to gain immense power via different theologies and practices, I find the excessive pontification and philosophical discourses mind numbingly boring. That said, I appreciate the ultimate irony of how many powerful cultivators are ruled by superstition and fear of ever night or the child of darkness. While the worthy ruler and the true wise men know to beware of false prophets. The political arcs are not that interesting and Princess Li Yu and her brother don't add to the plot. They just take up space and despite all the screen time, this and several other sub plots like the inner politics of the West Shrine and Yan State go absolutely nowhere. Obviously this lays the back story for multiple (?) seasons but unfortunately none of these sub plots and characters are interesting enough to make me want know what happens to them.
Despite the digressions and morass in the middle, the drama builds towards a very strong ending. I was truly moved by Ning Que's speech when he finally confronts his family's killer and I was really impressed by Chen Yufei's acting in that moment. "Why does it always have to be a prince?" is one of the best, most memorable lines from this show. The build up in tension, that sense of dread and hope into the ending confrontation is superb. The final fight scene is epic, full of surprises, utterly savage, desperate, exhilarating. It was everything I didn't even know I was craving for. Even the CGI is amazing.
I thoroughly enjoyed many aspects of this heroic saga and I am happy to recommend this as a not to be missed drama for action and adventure buffs. But unfortunately there are many parts of it that I did not enjoy and I feel strongly that the production over indulged in laying the backstory for many subplots that only play out in subsequent seasons. I am going to go with an 8.5 because the production values and fight scenes are exceptional. Going purely on storytelling alone however, this is at best an 8.0.
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The main couple has really good chemistry. They suit each other well and their scenes are good. The angst in this romance is about them actually not supposed to be together, it was never meant to be. The butterfly effect has consequences. The second couple are also sweet and the romance plot is a tad angsty, I found myself worrying about the future I knew and wishing for a new future for them.
I have not noticed any big inconsistencies with this taking place in 1989. Even though the brands shown are of later date, I don't look at the brand names but rather the fashion style. I remember well all these horrible clothes, old technology and I feel myself being immersed. I am sure that if you really want to you can rip this show to bits finding loads of errors. I'm just not that kind of viewer. So far it feels like the 1989 that I remember.
All in all a well done drama, with the usual Taiwanese issues (low audio quality and at least one clown character). The extremely cheesy moments didn't bother me at all, I enjoyed them, squealed and cried my way through this very sweet story.
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At the time, I watched many stupid romantic comedies so I needed something different from those usual dumb stories and so I found this drama somewhere. I read the synopsis that seemed appealing enough to give it a go with a medium level of expectations.
2) Storyline/Plot:
*Generally speaking this is a rom-com with a psychological aspect. The drama contains several twists that makes the storyline catching.
Positive Points:
*At the beginning (First 15 minutes), everything started really slow that I began to lose interest yet the writers were clever enough to take the story into another different level that attracted my intention.
*The story was captivating all the way through, it was short, psychologically romantic and most of all funny that’s why it hadn’t any dragging or slow moments.
*Main genres:
--->Romance: The romantic aspect in this drama is different from any other romantic comedies that I’ve seen before; there were mature feelings in this drama, the kind of feelings that go deeper and deeper each episode yet it doesn’t fall into the melodrama level since there were childish moments to make it light. I have to give the script writers credit for many "Wait, what happened?" moments while following the romantic development, many plot changes were really surprising and added a great taste to the storyline.
--->Humor: This drama’s funny scenes were smartly written, it was light and enjoyable. Like other Japanese dramas, it was ridiculously fun with all the weird situations.
--->Psychology: The romantic psychology was fairly interesting; there were many strange and sweet situations related to many great philosophic minds in this drama. The psychological cliffhangers were simply amazing, writers managed to keep all the twists captivating by inserting psychology into it.
Negative Points:
*I can’t possibly think about a negative point in this drama’s storyline; it was really great.
Story: 9.5/10.
3) Acting/Cast:
*Actors made it really believable and enjoyable; they knew how to deliver feelings even when they are trying to be funny. Matsuda Shota and Akira are the most talented actors here; I will add Tanihara Shosuke who portrayed the psychiatrist role perfectly.
Other actors were good too but I wasn’t touched by their acting skills like the three mentioned above.
*As for characters, you would get invested in every character since they always showed interesting developments into their personalities.
Ai-Ai was a great character that portrayed a strong woman personality while having the feminine feelings when she needed too: I would say that her character can represent woman power.
--->O-Chan was a character that would make you want to see him more on screen; it was really nicely done with good personality developments.
--->Kiku-rin was the strongest character in this drama, it manages to make you love him, hate him then love him again: It was a challenging character that added a great storyline development.
--->Usami was a weak character (basing on the storyline so it has nothing to do with Tamaki Hiroshi’s acting skills), it had many flaws but it managed to get through near the end.
Other characters were either average or annoying (……)
*Appreciated character: I was attracted by Kairi’s darkness especially near the end; it was a very appealing character to me.
*Relationships:
--->Romance: Since it’s a shuffle we can’t talk about specific couples yet there were chemistry all over the drama with all those intriguing feelings.
--->Friendship: It was present in a good way here, ever since the first episodes there were many signs of good friendship which made characters appear in a great harmony even if there were problems every once in a while.
*Favorite line: Uso da to itte yo, Joe!
Cast: 9/10.
Acting: 9/10.
4) The ending:
Well, it seemed a little unnatural but that doesn’t mean it was bad. Anyway, this drama had a good ending overall.
The ending: 8/10.
5) My impression (How did it affect me):
*Watching this drama was really fun, I got to see a mature drama after a long time so I had great feels about it.
*Is this drama memorable: Yes, It is! Who wouldn’t remember watching a great mature drama with superb actors and awesome characters? This drama touched me in a good way, an unforgettable production indeed.
My impression: 8.75/10.
6) Overall:
*If you’re looking for a mature drama then you should watch this.
*If you’re looking for a great romantic J-drama then you may like this.
*Love Shuffle is a short light drama without any shallow feelings. It’s one of those dramas that are directed to the mature audience out there.
Overall: 9/10.
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Definitely not what I expected
When I first found out about ‘He Won’t Kill, She Won’t Die’, the summary made me think ‘oh, just another edgy teenage romance huh’. But I loved what a delightful surprise this was.The plot of this movie isn’t anything extraordinary. The film followed three stories— an unfriendly guy who always tells others to die and a suicidal girl, a girl struggling with boyfriends who never actually seem to like her for who she really is and her friendship with a studious girl, and a determined girl who never gets tired of confessing to her crush despite the fact that she always gets rejected by him. Sounds uninteresting? Well, sometimes a film doesn’t need to have an outstanding story in order for it to be good, and this one is an example.
With a mesmerising cinematography, what this film does capture most correctly is the emotions and the feels of each scene. What makes this film so special is how it managed to execute this simple plot with in-depth characters and a great storytelling. The acting is really good too. This film surely reminded me of why I actually loved watching Japanese films the most.
Overall, a solid 9.0/10 for me. The rewatch value is low because it’s not really the kind of film that’s rewatchable, but not all good movies are worth a rewatch as the first times tend to give you feels that you might not feel the time you re-watch it. Thus, I highly recommend this film to everyone :)
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BETTER THAN EXPECTED, I WANT MORE
I love short series - if its good then your lucky, if its not then you wont feel like you wasted too much of your time. Im happy to say that this time I was pleasantly surprised with the whole series and i end up wishing there were more episodes cause i was intrigued and I wanted to see more.There were things the show got right - from the execution of the simple plot, to the entire bunch of the cute and capable cast. There is also a perfect amount of titillation of the viewers.
Should you watch it? YES. Its just about 20 min long each (give or take the opening and end credits). Its just like watching a normal full length movie. I wished there was a continuation cause when it ended I waasnt ready to let go of them yet.
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This review may contain spoilers
Fascinating and disturbing
I already expected that I would have to say more positive things about this movie than the previous reviewers. Disclaimer: I feel like there might be several versions of the movie out there, I watched the official one on GagaOOLala.In short: I thought this movie was fascinating and somewhat disturbing, although not entirely satisfying.
Some background information on the movie would be helpful to better understand it. Sadly, I couldn’t find out a whole lot. I also don’t really know about the connections to “Bittersweet Chocolate”, as I have not seen that one. What I understood: the director wanted to pay tribute to classic Pink Films, a particular Japanese genre between art movie and porn. That’s also where the whole gangster/mafia background is derived from. Apart from some smaller Queer Film Festivals, the Movie had its probably most important screening at the Berlin Porn Film Festival, where they announced it as “probably one of this year’s most extreme movies” and explained that the director intended to portray a gay subculture obsessed with outdoor sex as well as a generation of women fascinated by gay sex. If anything, it can be derived from this background that the project was really ambitious. Most of it seems to have been done by the director himself in collaboration with his sister (?) and honestly, I am happy that there are talented actors like Gun Atthaphan out there willing to experiment with such projects, it really adds a lot.
Now, there are obviously things I did not like (or better: things I thought did not contribute in a positive way to the movie as a whole):
- The length. Two hours was way too long. If it had been filled with action (sex, torture, murder, whatever), I wouldn’t mind, but the overall pace of the movie was very slow. That is fine, but then you just need to cut it to a more digestible format. Many of the scenes could simply have been shortened, without cutting them completely, as they just went on for too long.
- The vagueness. By that I mean that there was a promising gangster story unfolding throughout the movie, but the hints given were too vague to understand it even in part. James and Mac had a talk about what? What deal did James and Cherry have? What happened to the drugs? Why did they keep Boy as a prisoner? The gang was dealing with drugs and offering sex work, but other than that the story did not explain any details.
- The character introductions. There were many interesting characters in the movie (and all actors were pretty good in their roles!), but the way they were introduced and how their screen time was split was really confusing. Gold Hair completely disappeared after the first scenes, James appeared rather randomly and Ladyboy and Big Boss were just thrown in somewhere.
But overall I did enjoy the movie. Positive aspects I would like to point out:
- The actors. As I said, they were all doing really well in their roles. Clearly, all of the characters had mental problems: Cherry was bipolar (and probably sexually frustrated), James a drug addict, Mac a BDSM addict, Boy was completely traumatised. I wish they had explored the Ladyboy and Gold Hair characters a bit more though. James got too little screen time, maybe because Gun did not agree to participate in more explicit scenes, but I really enjoyed his presence.
- The cinematography. The construction site was an amazing location for such a movie. The camera knew very well how to capture the scenery, both the buildings and the surrounding nature.
- The soundtrack. The strange drum beats during the explicit scenes and some interesting punk interludes fit very well with what was going on. The movie also wasn’t shy to work with long moments of silence.
- The story. Although I criticised its vagueness and its flawed character introductions, the overall messed-up story was fascinating. I think, with the few clear infos the audience receives, it can be condensed down to the fact that Mac was indebted with the mafia and worked for them as a prostitute. At the end he manages to quit and takes Boy with him, who he apparently fell for during his captivity, cutting ties also with the bad influence of his friend/partner (?) James. James probably kills Cherry for good and goes his own way (but he might also go after Mac and kill Boy as a witness of everything, who knows).
As I already said, I was not satisfied with the movie in the end. Less vagueness and better character introductions would have been great, and I also wouldn’t mind if it was even more “extreme” in some parts, that aspect wasn’t balanced very well. In any case, cutting it down to 90 minutes could work wonders. However, it is a movie that is ambitious, experimental, featuring good actors and giving a lot to think about. Definitely not for the mainstream, but I am thankful that such movies exist!
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The thing with these 'Avenging Hero' type dramas/stories is the love story orbiting the hero is always a frustrating dance. Perhaps he has been deeply scarred and/or his mission is antithetic to the love that unexpectedly blossoms between the antihero and heroine. Kurosagi is classic in this respect.
Each episode unfolds with Kurosagi swindling a different kind of swindler and it's fun to watch him get into character and pull off his clever cons. I couldn't help but compare this just a bit to Liar Game, in that you have to use your brain and the hero has to work around the trick of the con. I really liked Kurosagi's little personality quirks and his different 'con' personalities.
Having sung it's praises, I still came away from Kurosagi feeling something was missing. It took a little while to put my finger on just why I can't give this drama a 10 but I've figured it out. It feels incomplete. Usually as I watch and then rate Jdramas, the fact they usually only take 9 to 11 episodes to tell the story makes me enjoy them immensely. This speedy and more concise story telling in turn raises the rating for me. But somehow this was not the case with Kurosagi. I felt this story needed more time, more story and I am left unsatisfied.
The acting was great for the most part. Yamashita Tomohisa has impressed me again. I've watched 4 of his dramas now and I really like when he plays more "character" parts like this rather than straight lead (See Buzzer Beat, which I did love). Somehow even with his handsome leading man looks, he feels more like a character actor to me. I liked the lead actress. Some of the secondary characters fell flat for me.
A word about Katsuragi: He is the most original character I've come across in a long time. He was at once; chilling, pathetic, gross, pitiful and scary. He left an impression with me, that is for sure.
The intro song didn't really thrill me but the background song which I will call Kurosagi's 'theme song' was cool. I really dug it.
I am giving the re-watch value a 7 because I think people will want to watch this again. There are already parts I have gone back and watched again.
I recommend this. It's worth your 11 hours. It's fun and if you get into manga turned into live action, I think you will like this.
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