The overall acting is solid! Joss Wayar finally gets a leading role in a series and he doesn’t disappoint playing Neo, the tall, dark, street-wise survivor looking for a place to land. Tay Tawan is equally as successful playing Shin, the shy, naive, gay, introvert son of a big time mafia boss. It’s great to see Tay show his acting range as he’s successfully played the strong, knows what he wants role in other series and he portrays himself as a happy go-lucky guy in the various reality type shows that he does. This was definitely a good departure from his usual. Mild Lapassalan rounds off the big three with a good performance as Miw the hapless trouble follows me girl. Honestly, not a huge stretch for her as she does the strong female character well. It was really nice to see Jennie Penhan finally get a significant role in a series, arguably she too is a lead in this series. Her performance here will hopefully lead to more significant roles for her in the future.
Overall, a worthwhile series to watch! Watch it for the acting and unique storyline.
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It' the quality effect indeed. He has done some really good movies and The Man From Nowhere is a great example of his less-in-quantity-more-in-quality movies. I loved this movie. It was thrilling and touching all at once. A man going all the way to save a little girl because she's his friend. And the man cannot be stopped! He's a freaking one-man army, who won't stop until he wants to. What a great plot! I was on the edge of my seat throughout the movie and the ending made me cry. Well, almost since I don't cry that easily. The ending was a little different from what I expected but it was a good ending.
The rewatch value is the only thing that is not a ten for me. That's mostly because you know how the movie will progress and that steals a bit of the excitement. But the action scenes are simply WOW. The lead character is so strong and invincible, but he doesn't care about glory.
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2Sincerity and Hilarity
I just . . . <3 ❤❤❤Such wholesome and supportive MLs! Ida and Aoki were everything good in this world.
The first episode did an amazing job setting up not just the characters and comedic style of the drama (which I adored) but also showing who Ida and Aoki are as people.
Ida is the kind of guy who thinks about things very seriously and carefully and despite not being exposed to/experiencing what many others already have is open to something unfamiliar to him. He also cares deeply about the feelings of others and always takes them into consideration, though he appears quite stoic and awkward at times. Lol.
Aoki is the kind of guy who doesn't let jealousy guide him in acting in ways that would benefit him personally while hurting others. He is willing to make sacrifices for the people he cares about even if it is to his detriment. And, he is very outwardly emotional and expressive, but also quite shy at times. Lol.
That was an impressive thing to accomplish in just the first episode alone.
This is the kind of drama that will not only make you cry from laughing so hard at Ida's dry humor, Aoki's meme-worthy and iconic reactions/facial expressions, Hashimoto's violent/impulsive nature, and Aida's blissful ignorance, but also from how much consideration and kindness oozes from the MLs.
Ida's sincerity was seriously too much for my poor heart to take! And Aoki made my cheeks ache from how many times I couldn't contain my giggles and abrupt bursts of laughter! Needless to say, I along with many of you now have to figure out a way to share custody of the absolute mood that is Aoki Sota.
Something a bit underrated and beautiful I didn't fully notice about this drama until it had a few episodes left was Aoki and Ida saying statements Directly expressing their emotions about things related to their relationship, and also the other paying attention and taking them seriously. Such as, "That made me upset," "That made me happy," etc. Saying This thing you did made me feel This. Basically, "I" statements.
I can't think of very many dramas that do this/have done this.
I've actually read that couples counselors will advise their clients to communicate in this way to directly address their feelings and not be accusatory when/if they're upset with their partner. Yet another reason for me to adore Kieta Hatsukoi and the precious couple in it.
This drama was not only a great showcasing of healthy and communicative relationships, it was also highly addictive. I rewatched each episode (until it was completed) about a dozen times before the next one aired.
Regarding representation, I could not be more happy! Aoki was a wonderful and respectful representation of Bisexuality. It was also delightfully easy to show. He was in love with Hashimoto and then he fell in love with Ida. Simple. He didn't declare that he "doesn't like boys and just likes him" (I hate that trope so much) nor was there any line indicating he never truly loved Hashimoto and was just "confused." He didn't deny his past love and also accepted his present love. I could cry!
I think this was as perfect Bi representation as you could get without actually saying the word Bisexual.
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Youth, friendship, family, love, and school. This drama was so heartwarming, light and realistic. It perfectly depicts the beauty, the joy, the sadness and the stress of being a teenager.
I loved how all themes were developed equally, there wasn't too much of anything, everything was perfectly dosed. Everything took its time to develop which make this drama more realistic. You will find yourself rolling with laughter at the friendship the characters had, smiling at the small selfless acts of kindness towards each other, getting angry at the trouble they had to go through, sympathize with them, and having your heart skip a bit at the sweet moments. A lot of the things these characters experienced, we have also experienced during those years of our life. With all this, I can assure you that this drama is so light that will make your heart warm and leave you clicking on the next episode with a huge smile on your face.
The acting was great! these young actors did a great job at depicting all emotions a teenager goes through, from falling in love to having worries about family issues. The chemistry between the main characters was impeccable. I always try hard to stop myself from having a second lead syndrome because I know that I will be the only one getting hurt in the end. "When we were young" did not even let me have a second lead syndrome because Hua Biao's character is so great that it's impossible not to ship him with Yang Xi. On that note, I must admit that Hua Biao is such an inspiring character. Usually, someone like him in dramas would be a cold-hearted asshole but Hua Bio was PERFECT! Yes! he is the embodiment of perfection. From his beautiful smile to his caring attitude, his intelligence and bubbly personality, he is perfect. I LOVED how hard working and independent he is, how he always tried to solve misunderstandings as soon as they arise and how selfless he is. His character is inspiring and I think I personally should learn more to be like him.
I LOVED the 1990s vibe, very similar to the REPLY series and A LOVE SO BEAUTIFUL. Just like there is some drama set in different eras of history, I hope setting dramas and movies in the 1980s and 1990s will become a thing. I am in love with the aesthetic and the whole vibe just bring about a lot of nostalgia.
AWESOME Chinese drama overall. If you know anything similar to this please hit me up :)
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This review may contain spoilers
Slow paced. Gloomy. Solid crime thriller, set in a perhaps somewhat peculiar milieu
“The Bequeathed” is a dark and gloomy crime thriller that is set on the fringes of madness, obsession and shamanistic practices, taking place in a remote backcountry, where ordinary people have for generations been burying their dead under green burial mounds. It's not a horror story, but rather a solid, yet slow paced crime thriller, set in a perhaps somewhat peculiar milieu.There are only 6 episodes. Nevertheless, with only a little for the short time, comparatively much is revealed about a wildly mixed bouquet of different characters. A hodgepodge of astonishingly vividly drawn figures cross paths, take their space quite naturally and leave their traces with the audience. Against the background of the ongoing investigation into a series of murders, they all get the chance to clear up what they have (emotionally) left behind ... and move on.
I would not have expected this. Therefore I was positively surprised.
Authentic performance. Amazingly complex with haunting cinematic implementation. Dense. Suspenseful.
Nonetheless consistently gloomy. (It does get a little brighter towards the end though...)
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It isn't necessary for me to name all of the actors, because it is already done. Just know that they all were excellent. I felt connected to each of them in different ways.
The music is appropriate.
It is rewatchable, but I probably won't.
This drama isn't for every one. I can see why some people would get bored with it. However, I highly recommend it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Why Mask Girl was great and why some couldn't understand the meaning behind it!
Some are free to dislike or even hate this Kdrama, but it is important to recognize that not every female lead in a Kdrama has to fit the mold of a "strong good girl." We need more complex, enigmatic, and twisted female characters. Personally, I look forward to the day when I can witness a compelling kdrama centered around a female serial killer. Because why not?Among the many memorable scenes in this K-drama that I loved, two that stood out to me were when Mi Mo murdered Oh Nam and when she and Chun Ae joined forces, gripping the rope from opposite sides, killing Chun Ae's abusive boyfriend. These scenes beautifully conveyed the feeling of saying, (I'm done!) even if they weren't executed most kindly.
This kdrama delved into the lives of women from different eras and age groups who harbored dreams and aspirations but were compelled to conceal their true selves, wear a mask, and conform to societal expectations and the whims of men. Some succumbed to defeat and strayed down the wrong path, while others, like teenager Mi Mo, representing the new generation, came to understand the essence of their experiences. This realization was poignantly depicted in the scene where Mi Mo watches a videotape of her mother's performance when she was an innocent child at the end of the show. And even she said that since then, the nightmares that haunted her about her mother have stopped.
To some, it may appear as if there are too many stories interwoven within this story. However, upon closer look, each character embodies a distinct facet of the female experience:
- Kyung Ja represents the older generation of women who were unable to even realize their dreams, thereby dedicating their entire lives to their children and utilizing them as instruments to accomplish their own aspirations and desires that they couldn't do themselves. Hence the obsessiveness in her mind & her crazy way of holding on to God's beliefs as the women in her generation were told.
You can see some of this in Mo Mi's mother as well, as she hates how her daughter wasn't good enough for her expectations.
- Mo Mi embodies the generation of women who were told to be beautiful and finding a tall, handsome, and charismatic man was the ultimate dream and the sole path to love, even if said the man turned out to be the ultimate idiot.
And if she happened to feel good about herself or her body in some way, some creep will see her as a thing to claim!
Nonetheless, women like Mi Mo fail to comprehend that loving oneself is the key to happiness and earning the affection of others. Thus, in her pursuit of conforming to society's superficial beauty standards, believing that it would enable her to start fresh, be beautiful, and be loved, she inadvertently destroyed herself. Consequently, she was labeled a monster despite her "new attractive appearance".
- And finally, Mi Mo symbolizes the younger generation, a girl who is angry at people "the society views on her", dreading the possibility of ending up like her mom, "the previous generation of women," and has a hatred towards her grandma's way of thinking, "the older generation of women.
But in the end, she gradually grasps the reality that the world is not simply divided into black and white, decides to accept herself as she is, forgives her grandmother (Mo Mi's Mother), and contemplates how her mother's fate might have been different had the world been more understanding.
Overall, the show was crazy and dark indeed, but so are the lives of these 3 women.
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This is a very well written, well acted, well produced mini series I highly enjoyed.
The cast was very charming, their interactions felt natural, the chemistry was on point. I really liked how they included the volleyball theme. It's not only a series about cute boys falling in love, it's also about your dreams and not giving up (even though they had not enough time to explore this further). All the side characters were great to watch. It was funny, light hearted, romantic and really kept you on the edge of your seat. The music is worth mentioning too. Very, very beautiful. Unfortunately because of the low budget, the development felt rushed sometimes. Even so they did a lot with 8 episodes.
10/10
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Do not watch the movie with the expectations of it being like the prequel
I am not sure why everyone gave the movie low ratings because I definitely did enjoyed the movie. It is definitely not the Train to Busan but it's a great movie overall if u watch the movie without expectations of it being like the prequel. It is action-packed and has a pretty good story. It has a fair share of emotional moments and the acting was also pretty decent as well. The downside is that there's too much CGI where most of the car battles are CGI.On a last note, it is nowhere near its predecessor but it definitely holds its own.
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Thanks also to those on YouTube for the English subs [uncut] as without them we would never have know such wonderful talent.
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Filmmaker Bong Joon Ho once again surprised us with another masterpiece named Parasite. Where powerful social satire meets tragedy. The director did a great job portraying South Korea's current views on society exposing the underprivileged slums of most modern cities and it's citizens living in completely different worlds despite staying in close proximity. You are likely to find it relatable as the themes of this story are not just localized to Korea, but all over the world. Having its fair share of global capitalism and universal materialism, Meritocracy being the biggest trope of this movie.
Now, the best way to enjoy this film is to cluelessly get into it, its charm is to watch it progress and unfold in many satisfying, unexpected ways.
You can definitely see a unique directorial vision as Parasite welcomes the audience into multi-genres and tonal shifts that mix and take its turn after every act. Pure comedy, dark comedy to heavy drama, horror, thriller, mystery, you name it. It is one of the hardest things to pull off but the director converts them smoothly without letting the audience feel indifferent to the transformation. It manages to elicit the full range of responses, making the viewer react with uneasy laughter to unexpected situations that eventually lead to disturbing events full of horror.
Now, who are the real parasites? The poor who attach themselves to the rich or the rich who suck the marrow of the poor?
Satirically, it managed to portray how we may live under the same skies, but have different views regarding life.
--
"You know what kind of plan never fails? No plan. No plan at all. You know why? Because life cannot be planned."
Success and fortune are reserved for those who deserve it, those who develop solid plans according to their talents and abilities and who execute those plans through hard work and determination. Anyone can rise to the top, but for those who cannot escape their sad reality will ultimately turn for the worse and thus start to justify their immoral backstabbing, deceit, and callousness for reasoning that can be only explained by growing up poor without support from others.
The characters all have different aspects to them that will be received and viewed differently due to the viewers own biases and world views. This isn't a bad thing as the movies main point is to deliver a provocative social commentary in various metaphors. And the best way to do so is to create morally questionable characters that will resemble at least one familiar person known to you.
,,Greed is inside each one of us, but the question is, how much are you willing to sacrifice for an idea of life in comfort?''
---
All in all, Parasite is a fantastic case of hard-hitting yet entertaining cinema.
And one of the best movies recently made in Korea.
Thus I will rate it 9.5/10
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1JUST WATCH IT
If you’re already into the omegaverse, this is a must-watch you’ll go feral in the best way. But even if you’re new to it, Desire offers a unique sci-fi twist that makes the world intriguing to step into, to the new ones It might get a little bizarre later (we all know what the genre holds 👀) but if you’re open mindu and looking for something different, you’ll probably end up just as hooked.It's a well-built omegaverse that finally feels true to its genre and immersive. With the added rare Enigma, tiying the dynamics to a DNA altering virus is creative, sci-fi-ish, and refreshing it makes it feel more realistic(?)
The main couple? Electric. Hua Yong is a literal orchid jade beauty! and when jealousy hits, the Enigma in him switch to a whole new personality. Sheng keeps falling for all his schemes, and honestly, same lol.
Even the kiss scenes felt sweet and natural no secondhand embarrassment here, just unexpected giggles. The side couple also brings chaos with an omega disguised as a beta, and I’m all in for that drama.
Gao Tu’s acting stood out the most so far, and while it’s still in worldbuilding mode, the pacing feels right. Only the two characters are in focus, which makes it easy to follow. Production quality? Surprisingly high. Those billionaire villas alone deserve a shoutout. You can tell they invested in detailed sets and styling. Nothing looks cheap or rushed, and even the camera work is smooth and solid.
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Wallace lives and breathes his role as Bo Jin Yan. He's adorably awkward when it comes to romance, and level-headed when it comes to his job as a criminal psychologist. Wallace also plays his 'split personality'; very well, showing that he's a versatile actor. I think Sandra was the perfect cast actually. She's pretty, and yet she gives off a girl next door vibe, complementing Bo Jin Yan (Wallace) fabulously. In a way, their relationship reminds me of Edward and Bella from Twilight- cool, seemingly emotionless male lead and sensitive yet observant female lead that brings the warmth out of the male lead. In my opinion, they have great chemistry and Bo Jin Yan's cheesy lines were hilarious. I can't forget Jin Yan's love for fish. He loves to eat fish so much that it was part of the storyline-kind of cute. I actually didn't guess the ultimate Big Bad so I was shocked when the twist came out. In that respect, this drama did a great job because it kept me on my toes.
The cinematography was gorgeous as well, the fish eye lenses were a cool touch, and I loved the car, Andy. So high-tech, and hilarious-Andy's like part of the cast! The cases were interesting and not too predictable. Every case was drastically different so it didn't get boring. I especially liked it when Jin Yan does his criminal analysis because it's so interesting to listen to. The cases flowed well together and connected with one another, each case spanning around four episodes, and led up to the Big Bad storyline. Though it seemed like each case was separate, they were all ultimately connected to the Big Bad, and the drama explores the deepest aspects of human desire through the cases. All the leads had a backstory as well, lending more depth to the story, making the drama come more to life. It was a little graphic but not too intense/gory either.
I loved Zi Yu (Andrew Yin), he is the ultimate best friend. Their bromance was fun to watch and a good comedic relief from the serious tone of the crime investigations. Xun Ran (Wang Kai) was a good second lead but the drama never really gave him a chance to be a serious romantic threat to Bo Jin Yan. Nevertheless, I admired his dedication and willpower as a cop- his acting was also spot on. The beginning was a bit slow but it was needed to set up the story. It starts rapidly speeding up after around three episodes. This drama didn't drag that much; rather, it went by quickly in 24 episodes.
The music kept me barely breathing in lots of suspenseful moments so it definitely did its job! There was a lot of orchestral music which was a nice change from usual dramas.
Re-watch? YES! I will most definitely re-watch this and so far this is my favorite Chinese drama! I recommend this drama if you're into suspense, crime scene investigations, and lots of romance. I wouldn't recommend this if you don't like romance intertwined with crime scene investigations. That said, this drama was fantastic in all respects so I recommend it to everyone. (10/9.75)
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This review may contain spoilers
BEAUTIFUL MASTERPIECE THAT I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER
This has become my second favorite xianxia ever!! I laughed l, I cried, i was pissed off, I love so many characters here. So many range of emotions in me during these 40 episodes. I wish it would be longer.I really congratulate all the casting members, writer, director, production and each member that made possible this BEAUTIFUL MASTERPIECE!!! Tian Yao and Yanhui now are my favorite couple! I’m going to miss them so much!! 😭😭😭
Yanhui and Tian Yao met because she mistook him from someone else and from that moment their beautiful journey started. She didn’t have a place to stay because she was expelled from her sect. He took her to live with him and his (fake) grandma. Tian Yao was unable to love anyone because he was betrayed 20 years ago by the woman that he fell in love. Time goes on and Yanhui started to like him because of a supposed love potion but then she realized that she has fallen in love because who he was and for the many things that they’ve lived until that moment. Because of the betrayal, he had decided to close his heart completely and to not love anyone anymore. His anger and desire of revenge for what the biatch SY did to him were his biggest impediment to fall in love but after so many beautiful things and Yanhui’s tender heart and all the great things that she did for him, his heart started to open and fell deeply in love with her as well.
They would do anything and everything from each other which made them my favorite couple ever! Their chemistry is something out of this world!
I’m so thankful for this drama in so many ways and that Liu Feng’s family had it to remember their son.
PS: I’m still waiting for them to consummate their marriage and a proper kiss from them. I would love to see them together in a modern drama ❤️💜❤️💜❤️
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Eun-ho (SYJ) and Dong-jin’s (KWS) views in narration on their life and love are inspiring and can be lessons for most people. Their views can be useful for any person-any age, those who are in love, those who were in love and especially those who yet to be in love!
Acting/cast:
Almost everyone was A+ in acting including guest roles!
Gong Hyung-Jin is brilliant and funny as an unconfident gynecologist and played an important role as best friend of main lead.
Son Ye-Jin: I don’t need to talk about her. She’s proven actress. She is flawless throughout whole show but her best performance was in the last two episodes.
Lee Ha-Na: I’m very very impressed by this actress! This was her first role in her career still she managed to perform it brilliantly. She was very natural, great expressions and dialogue delivery. Sometimes she was suppressed by the presence of Son Ye-Jin but still she outclassed SYJ in many scenes! She definitely deserved her New Star award.
Kam Woo Sung: Poor guy, every other actor in this drama got acknowledgement for their acting by getting either best actress; top excellence, New Star or supporting actor-actress awards but this poor man missed it! I think his acting was best in the whole cast! Clever dialogue delivery! BEST!
Music:
Music was mesmerizing. I couldn't find OST album yet so I don't know specific track names to point out but I loved the music!
Pros:
-Very realistic
-Romantic!
-No angst and typical Asian show riddles
-Excellent combination of all emotions
-Perfect casting & acting!
-Strong and likable characters
-No idols
-0% nonsense
-No annoying characters
-Stable pace
Cons:
None, still I couldn't find anything negative except this was highly addictive. It felt like a 16 hour long movie!
Who should watch this?
As I said it’s mature so it'll definitely suit mature audience but I think it’s more advisable to recommend it to younger audience (I'm also in this group!) to give slight idea about love! So in short everyone! Highly recommended for everyone!
If someone wants to watch a Korean show and wants to watch only one then I'd recommend Alone in Love. I'd easily sideline my previous joint #1 Salaryman and Evasive Inquiry Agency!
Who should avoid this?
-Those who want adrenaline rush in everything.
-Those who want to live in fantasy.
-Those who want to watch mushy, kiddo’s, ‘Love @ 1st sight’, “I love you…I love you too!”/”I can't live without you…” kind of romance.
-Those who want to watch kissing scenes should totally avoid this. There aren't any actual kissing scenes.
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