Reviews

I just came from work when I decide to watch this movie and damn this is such a relaxing movie and didn't expect I would enjoy this. I expect this will be another slow burn film that will make me sleepy. I even plan to eat while watching but I just couldn't take my eyes off the screen. These characters are just interesting and the visual are enticing. I really don't expect this to be a masterpiece. It has masterful cinematography, suiting guitar music and well acted characters that could potentially make this one of the best coming of age films I've ever watched.

I often tell my friends that if you want to learn more about Japanese culture don't watch anime but watch Japanese movies instead and this film is the very best example of that. Watching this movie will open your eyes about this kind of culture in Japan and on how they cut trees. The act is treated with respect (respect to the forest and forest god) and not just cut a tree then plant after which what I was only aware before watching this movie. The last part of the film is holy freaking moment, a combination of epic and comedy gold.

I watch this film because I am a fan of Shota Sometani and I was not disappointed and though the film's strength is the story it still one of his most important role to date. His performance here is not on par with his performance in Himizu but in this movie he proves he can also do comedic roles, his timing is just great. This film is in my opinion his best film to date and yes even better than Himizu. As for Ito Hideaki, the last film I've seen from him was Lesson of Evil which is such an epic movie. If you love Battle Royale and blood in your movies I highly recommend it. He had a great performance in Lesson of evil but I was more impressed with his performance here, he is such a badass and this movie is not even an action or a Yakuza film, it's a coming of age/slice of life movie lol. The chemistry between them is just great they are the total opposites, one is rugged type dirty guy and the other is like a girl and totally weak but once both of them are on screen there is such a magnetic force between them. You will enjoy Sometani's character development here. Given this film has two great actors and combined it with awesome chemistry makes this movie one hell of a ride.

Overall a great coming of age movie, relaxing to eyes visually and relaxing to ears with its music. A great movie if you want to learn more about Japanese Culture. If you love Departures, The Great Passage, Waterboys, Linda Linda etc. this movie is similar and has a similar vibe.

Check my Blog for other reviews & other JDramas stuffs. (｡◕‿‿◕｡)
https://thatjapanesedramaguy.blogspot.com/

Read More

It is about Sisterhood - with a deep connection transcending age and nation. Yet in a man´s world.

When watching KMovies, one stumbles across productions that are surprisingly quiet and told with comparatively few words. "Moonlit Winter" is one of them. A quiet road movie of a mother an her daughter enriched with pictorial symbols and allegories. Like a long cold winter night.

It's about the unhappy love between two young girls that wasn't allowed to be. (SIDE NOTE: To this day, homosexual love is socially outlawed in South Korea. Starting with the younger generation, a little more tolerance is creeping into society, but only at a snail's pace they are starting to find something like solid ground under their feet.)

It is about the (need for) reconciliation with the past. About shame, guilt and forgiveness. And about choosing yourself first. Self love. And then, strengthened in that, one can choose anything, including a relationship... even if it's a homosexual one that still is socially undesirable...

Intense! The list of awards is correspondingly long. However: The intensity could easily be missed, because the quiet, long winter nights are what they are: Long. Dark. Cold. If you don't discover the magic of the diffuse moonlight for yourself, then time can get pretty dreary and gloomy.

The cast fits the show. They are all radiating and keeping the intensity in minimalistic terms.

It is about women with a deep connection transcending age and nation. About Sisterhood!
Tender. True. Yet in a man´s world.

Read More

Confusing mess

OK, my reviews of Thai BL series are starting to sound so repetitive, but once again, series like "Top Secret Together" show how small companies really face a lot of issues when creating any type of story, not just BL. Low budgets, inexperienced actors, poor directing, confusing writing/plots, nothing original in the storyline, among other things, caused this series to be well below standards and nearly forgettable.

First, let's set the main characters...
Simai, Phob and MaiEak are friends who study together and have to finish an internship at a non-descript company. Phob is in love with MaiEak but he is oblivious to it. Simai meets Lukmo who is his supervisor and immediately likes him and tries to make him open up as Lukmo is super uptight and annoyed with the extroverted Simai.
Nampu and Copy are two university students. Copy is in the engineering faculty and I'm not sure where Nampu studies but he visits Copy at, yes, you guessed it, a copy shop he runs with his father and openly tells him he likes him and starts flirting with him despite Copy resisting all the time worried about what his father might think.
Plawaan plays basketball and wants to attend a competition hoping to be selected. In all this long process he is followed by a high school student named Suea (at least from what I assumed from his school uniform in episode 15) who motivates him and helps him train even if he misses classes (making his mother angry). However, Plawaan runs into Top, a rival, who wants to play a game and whoever loses will actually quit basketball. Plawaan loses and he is depressed but Suea is there to make him feel better.
Both and Newyear act nearly as themselves, both are a real life couple and here take roles as café owners who act like parents to all the younger characters who come to the café and give them advice.

Ok, those are the characters... now the confusing mess that was the plot, especially for the main couple and the MaiEak, Phob, Namo love triangle.
Oh boy, where to start?! I'll separate it according to each couple or it might get even more confusing.
Simai starts falling for Lukmo despite his cold demeanor and constant rejections. Lukmo starts opening up and warming up to Simai. They spend time together at work and also in Simai's house because Simai's mother loves Lukmo. Then, Simai's father arrives as he was working abroad and recognizes Lukmo as Kao, his biological son from a previous marriage (plot mess #1). Simai is mad because now that Lukmo is his half-brother he can't date him (plot mess #2... I will never understand Asian BLs that are obsessed with half-brothers or stepbrothers being in love as we've seen in "History 2: Crossing the Line" and "History 4: Close to You" from Taiwan; "Brothers", "My Bromance", "My Bromance 2: 5 Years Later" and "Love by Chance" from Thailand; and the cancelled "Addicted" from China). Lukmo/Kao is mad at him because Simai's father abandoned him and his mother for Simai's mother, then his mother died later due to cancer so he was all alone (plot mess #3). The father opposes to Simai and Lukmo being together (as usual in some Thai BLs) but then, suddenly, appears in Lukmo's office to tell him that is ok to date Simai because Simai is not his biological son (plot mess #4) so they are not really half-brothers only stepbrothers. Simai always thinks he is Lukmo's half-brother because the father forbids Lukmo from telling Simai the truth as "he is too sensitive to handle it" (plot mess #5). Then, Simai tells Lukmo he is going abroad with the father, leaving Lukmo all alone again for no apparent or valid reason (plot mess #6). They say goodbye in episode 15, Simai tries to kiss Lukmo but he rejects him and then falls asleep in 2 seconds. Then, near the end of the episode, Simai appears in his office but I still can't tell if he is real or if Lukmo is hallucinating (plot mess #7) because Simai has a different hairstyle in episode 14, he leaves as we hear an airplane in episode 15 and suddenly shows up at the office with his old hairstyle in the last part of episode 15 without any indication that some time has passed... we get a hint because Lukmo has a new hairstyle in that scene but in the behind-the-scenes we hear one of the assistants tell Kanok (who plays Simai) that he doesn't even appear on the scene as he is at the door frame so Mix (who plays Lukmo) can focus on something for the camera to shoot, so more plot mess.

The other main characters have Phob deeply in love with MaiEak and MaiEak being an idiot who can't recognize Phob's feelings and only uses Phob to do most his work during the internship and almost everywhere else in reality. In the middle episodes, Phob confesses his feelings for MaiEak only to be rejected which causes a change in Phob who becomes more distant as he is angry at MaiEak. Then, around episode 10 (I think), a younger guy named Namo visits the café and sees Phob and immediately likes him and tries to chat with him. This is when MaiEak gets jealous and begins to change which then becomes yet another storyline/plot mess when he tries to interfere in what is developing as a Phob-Namo relationship. All of a sudden, he confesses his feelings for Phob and tries to stop him from seeing Namo. He even tells Simai that he let Phob do most of the things for him because he wanted to see if he was special to Phob... I mean, what? after he confessed his love, you still make him do things for you? MaiEak has to be one of the most arrogant and selfish characters I've seen in a Thai BL because he calls Namo to brag about the time he spent talking to Phob (Namo later does the same but he really likes Phob from the beginning), he calls Phob all the time and tells him he loves him and calls him "babe", he tells Phob they will eventually end up together but I don't know if he is driven by love, driven by jealousy of seeing Phob being happy with someone else, driven by his desire to have Phob around to help him do everything, or a combination of all of the above. Sorry, but Phob is too good for you MaiEak... luckily, the writers decide the same thing and Phob gives a Namo a chance and end up together while MaiEak reflects by writing a boring letter to himself and hoping he ends up with Phob one day.

The other couples are not as confusing but don't show many interesting things.
Nampu chases Copy like a puppy all around campus, the copy store, the café, everywhere. Copy starts to slowly fall in love with Nampu and has a nice chat with his father who supports him 100% no matter who he decides to like (yay for the usual Thai BL clichés with the parents that either completely approve their son being gay or do the most ridiculous things when they are against it, but there never is any middle ground with parents in Thai BLs). That gives Copy confidence so he becomes Nampu's boyfriend. The story of this couple is dull and boring and they go through all the usual phases of a BL with the flirting, denial, rejection, jealousy, fighting, etc., etc. and Nampu is a bit too annoying with his actions at the beginning when he is almost forcing Copy to like him.
Plawaan and Suea see each other a lot at first with all the basketball practice but then Suea's mother tells him to study and grounds him so they don't spend much time together. In the end, Top tells Plawaan that he wasn't selected in the competition so Plawaan should try because the bet from the earlier episodes was a joke (yet another plot mess). Plawaan meets with Suea in his school and they go together somewhere but nothing else happens.
Both and Newyear are a couple. Both proposes in episode 12-13 while on vacation at the beach and they own a café. That's it... nothing memorable to tell.

The thing that bothered me in this series is that we see the couples, but aside from the moments with Both and Newyear in the café, at Neywear's party and the beach trip, they don't interact with each other. Simai-Phob-MaiEak are friends but I don't know how do they know Plawaan-Suea or Nampu-Copy aside from the friendship they share with Both-Newyear. And the other actors, like the guy who keeps trying to sabotage Lukmo's work and telling the girl in the office to do something or he will lose Lukmo, the 2 older women at the office, the company CEO, the café worker, even Simai's parents, do not provide any depth to the story, they don't bring anything interesting or do much... so I have no clue why were they were included in this series other than to have some airtime to fill.

The acting is a bit of an issue but is not as bad as other series (like Gun Napat in "Golden Blood" for example). Newyear and Aof (who plays Phob) have more experience than the rest with Newyear appearing in "I am your King Season 1" and "What the Duck 2" and Aof appearing in "Make it Right" and "Make it Right 2" while Tiger (who plays Plawaan) had a guest role in "My Engineer" as the annoying guy who flirted and tried to kiss Cooper.
The rest are newbies to acting... Kanok (who plays Simai) and Mix (who plays Lukmo) had good chemistry. There are some behind the scenes at the end of each episode and there is a scene with Kanok crying after discovering that he might be Lukmo's half-brother, when the director yells "cut", he keeps crying and is Mix who comes to console him, which was nice to see. The acting wasn't solid by any means, but they delivered decent moments when they had to. I believe directing and writing is what let them down in this series.

In the end, a series that was longer than what it should have been, that had some major plot issues and that didn't provide a satisfying end to the main couple caused by all those plot issues is what makes "Top Secret Together" another forgettable BL series. Also, anyone knows why there is a scared cat in the series poster? Makes absolutely no sense.

Read More

Def found this more entertaining than Chuugakusei Nikki, it def felt more real and raw while C.N. felt like a glossed-up version of this type of storytelling. I gotta agree with the other commentators about the cinematography- not only beautiful but really cool.
Her being 31/32 and him being 15- I think that's the youngest age gap I've seen and at this point I'm not even put off by it anymore lol
There are so many movies/ dramas with an older guy and younger girl and never do I ever hear any complaints but switch the roles and everybody is up in arms. The pattern I'm seeing with these kinds of stories is that even though the guy is young, the girl is emotionally stinted; so in that aspect they are both the same age. In one episode Yumeaki tells Wako to stop acting like a child and that line genuinely took me off guard lol The child telling the adult to stop acting like a child even though his character... let's just say he has his issues.
Personally I think there is nothing wrong with a genuine friendship but lets leave the romantic stuff until they are at least adult enough to handle/ understand their emotions a bit.
I would recommend this but only for those who are mature enough to handle it. (netflix)

Read More

When I first heard about this drama (before it started airing) I laughed at the plot and how very, very weird it sounded. However, since i've enjoyed some of Yamapi's past drama's I decided to check out the first episode...and then I got hooked!

Story 10/10: As odd as the plot sounded, this drama actually has a good amount of everything(except action...unless you count Yamapi running with music playing in the background as action.) The plot is fantastic, but I think the biggest obstacle to it's success was the fact that it deals with death(every single episode), and most people would rather not watch anything that has such a heavy subject in it. Personally, I didn't mind and rather enjoyed that unorthodox aspect of it.

Acting 10/10: Flawless and usual. Every single cast member was perfect. Yamapi, Eikura Nana, the actors who play the family members, and everyone else did an amazing job.

Music 7/10: I think I remember only one song or maybe they just had one song played over and over again. I can't remember. The one song was actually pretty good (Yamapi was the singer), but the lack of their being more memorable variety is what made me give it a 7/10.

Rewatch Value 6/10: I don't usually rewatch dramas but since the success of this drama doesn't really hinge on surprise, I would give this a 6 for rewatch (which is very high for me.)

Overall 10/10: I looked forward to new episodes of this drama every single week and that is rare for me. For people who haven't seen it yet, I would say at least watch the first episode and give it a chance. I'd even go as far as saying it's a masterpiece drama that deserves more fans.

Read More

A unique story that is full of comedy and drama.

At first, I didn’t get the humor of this series, so I put it on my hold list. But strangely enough, I started watching Angel’s Last Mission Love, and I was mesmerized by Shin Hye Sun’s performance as a ballerina. From a ballerina to a man sent back in time as a woman. She is flawless in her performance of both. Finally, I returned to watch Mr. Queen, and I was treated to one of the most entertaining series I’ve ever watched. Please don’t miss this one.

If you want a unique love story, this one is hard to top. Playing a woman with the lingering thoughts and mannerisms of a man is not easy. However, Hye Sun pulled it off with the grace of the amazing actress she is. I am not a huge fan of historical dramas with non-stop political infighting, but this one had more than that. The comedy was funny, and the drama was real, plus it had a perfect ending.

The supporting roles were well thought out, and each had its own identity. It is always a treat when you can enjoy the side stories as much as the main. That takes a writing talent which I think showed in this series. The music was also spot on and didn’t override the conversation or the story.

And finally, although I don’t know how many people read this far down, the subtitles were perfect. Good subtitles are critical to someone who doesn’t speak the language and are often taken for granted. I’ve mastered the art of reading and watching at the same time. What makes a subtitle good is when you feel they match the emotion on the screen. Thank you to the great subtitle people at Viki.

Read More

What a story line. A MUST WATCH !

Mr. Queen is so special to my heart. I was hesitant to watch it at first. I thought oh another romcom with a body swap. I was bored with romcoms actually. But the Mr. Queen trailer kept following me everywhere on Instagram, So I decided to give it a go. And I'm fully satisfied with the desicion.
The first episode was kind of overdone. The visual effects was kinda bad and the comedy was too simple and easy to predict at the first episode.(but please don't underestimate the drama, you'll miss a lot.) I mean you can imagine the comedy in body swap.But it was enjoyable. I don't lie about that. You can laugh out loud. So I thought the comedy would be the main part of the drama.
And actually the OST "Bong Hwan Aaaa" was really good. That OST was ringing inside my head for weeks when the drama started. Other OSTs of the drama are pretty damn good as well. Specially the OST " Here I am ".
As the drama progressed, the genre started to change. I thought the drama would be pure comedy. But it was not. It had so many other aspects to it. That's when the drama showed it's true colours.The drama has so many plot twists as well. So you'll enjoy it more.
I mean the queen's character development is unbelievable. I felt like Queen is completely different when I started rewatching from the beginning. The romance was great. The politics were great. And her cooking skills were even greater. It felt like comedy version of "Dae Jang Guem" at times.
The chemistry between the actors were great. I mean they deserve the recognition.Everyone really pulled it off. I'm so satisfied with their acting. I really wish they win so many awards for the drama.
And the cinematography is so nice. I mean every shot of the drama is so beautiful. So pleasing to the eye. Nice post production. Loved each and every scene. Drama was so beautiful from the beginning to end. Of course you can see the photos from MDL photos section and admire the beauty.
The Korean remake was miles better than the China original version.The ending of the drama is pretty neutral. At the end you'll think a lot about human nature and who we really are. The drama is so worth watching. What ever happens it will be beautiful.
2020 was a good year for kdrama fans. So many good drama were aired. And I rank Mr. Queen in the top 3.

Read More

"Times make the wrong choices, but history does not."

Song of the Bandits was a 1920's historical set on the border of China with a decidedly modern feel. It combined the Joseon independence movement with elements from a Sergio Leone spaghetti Western. Gun slingers and bar fights set to a raucous score led by the talented Kim Nam Gil made for an entertaining drama.

Lee Yoon is the freed slave of Lee Kwang Il. Together they joined the Japanese army with Kwang rising in the ranks. Upon receiving a letter with the name and address of a man from Yoon's past he leaves and heads to the border settlements. He is given the gift if not of forgiveness, at least purpose to his life. He puts together a band of talented but misfit bandits. "They wouldn't come here if their brains worked right." An assassin is sent after him and as the days go by and the bandits' missions become more dangerous, the past, a love interest, the assassin, the Japanese, and big badder bandits are all set forth on a collision course that will leave a sea of spurting blood in their wake.

The cinematography and scenery were beautiful. Some of the sets might be familiar to Mr. Sunshine fans and there were also ones that came right out of a wild west town. I enjoyed the variety of music in this drama. The music was engaging, some songs rousing and others more quietly emotional. Spanish guitar was used as well as the whistling from old spaghetti westerns. The fight scenes were creative, blood spurting, and fast-no blurred knives. Much of the action was highly stylized. I particularly liked that the female assassin stayed competent and strong throughout the film with her own code of ethics.

The acting ran the gamut. Kim Nam Gil perfectly fit the conflicted bandit leader. Yoo Jae Myung made for a badass grandpa Legolas with his own checkered past. Lee Ho Jung held her own in scenes with KNG and she made Eon a compelling character. The bandits were archetypes-an axe wielding nimble ex-clown with sticky fingers, a drug addicted sharpshooter, and a mountain of a man. Each actor made their role their own. The relationship between Yoon and his ex-master Kwang felt ill-developed as if the writers couldn't decide if they truly wanted to cut the ties and make them bitter enemies despite Kwang's reprehensible actions. Seo Hyun was the biggest let down. She was unable to bring any depth or interest to her role as Hee Shin, leaving the character as bland as sand. There was no chemistry with Kim Nam Gil which meant when scenes focused on them or the fledgling romance the story ground to a stop.

I enjoyed this drama that for the most part was fast paced and coherent even if it became repetitive and ran out of steam near the end. The ending was abrupt leaving some questions unanswered despite the historical boundaries. That's not to say the drama wasn't entertaining, it was. The chemistry and camaraderie between the bandits and Yoon and Eon were fun and captivating. The scenery was stunning and the music was emotional and enthusiastic. Song of the Bandits brought to life the struggles and fragility of life while being occupied not only in Joseon but in communities on the border. Even though it would take another 25 years to drive the oppressors out, the drama showed how people long to be free and are willing to risk their lives in the face of insurmountable odds to protect their homeland, family, and friends. Whether you are a Kim Nam Gil fan or of historicals in general, this is one to give a try.

9/22/23

Read More

Something different, but not thought out all the way...

When the Director of "Not Me" is doing a new series with OffGun, it is not the normal stuff we expect from a BL. I can't even call this a BL, there is nothing fluffy in it, so I would categorize it more as a gay story. We have a red flag named Koh who uses humans as tools to get all what he desires but without achieving happyness at all. We have Jira, who is also more a red flag than not, while he is not bad per se, he is very self-centered. Then we have Pheem which is also a red flag, not because he is bad, because he let Koh control him and he has to clean up all the shit Koh is leaving in his wake for more money. The only positive persons are Mawin (or should it be Marvin, I never know with Thai nick names) Pheem's friend and Ing, not only a close friend to Jira but also his curator and confidant. There is also the "Burnout Bar" which had a nice atmosphere but is not that prominent and only plays a "role" in the beginning and the ending...

One of the questions the show is asking if AI is doing any good for humanity, but it does not answer the question. AI can do good for humanity, I'm sure of, but it can also be very bad for humanity and it's going this direction more visible. Voice-actors for Netflix in Germany are on strike because Netflix demanded to use their voices for AI which would cost them their jobs. AI can't create art, as AI does not understand language most of the time. Because language is not only about the spoken words, it's also about the intention of how you say something. An AI will never grasp that. So the meaning can be something completely different compared to the sentence alone. Social Networks are flooded with AI art (pictures, music even paintings), AI messages and so on and that can't be good for anyone. But the show does not have a discourse in depth. Maybe that's something the viewer should think about.

The finale: We all could say, they should not have got together in the end - but of course it's GMMTV and they always want an happy end. But I watched the finale two times and it's not that happy anyways. maybe you did not get the subtle hints... it begins with the flowers in Koh's home which are a similar to the painting... you missed that Pheem let Jira go.... and he is the first to have a redemption arc... so he changed in the end not going even more bitter than he was, but he is now more balanced with a new job and a new goal. Koh can't escape Jira that's why he slept 277 times infront of Jira's house (taking Ing's advice of being close to him but not crossing the line) and Jira can't paint without his muse even if his muse is not a human which he really likes, but as he said his heart refuses to have any other inspiration. And when they come together it's their desire and lust speaking out of them - they are dependent on each other, regaradless of all their flaws because both work only if they have each other. When Jira asks "Can we work out?", Koh says "I don't know" - so it does make sense for me. They still have their baggage to carry. Koh did not get his humanity he has lost due to his past and Jira is still as uncompromising as ever. And because we have only 10 episodes we don't see their future. Koh's home mirrors Jira painting with all the flowers.

What impresses most of this show is the very good acting of all the cast. Off went on diet to be as skinny as possible and it shows and because they are veteran actors they all can bring their character to life and you still don't like them in the end. I have more symphaties with Pheem then with the couple. But that is also something not often seen especially in thai productions. Camera, lighting, music were all perfect.

Because this is something different, something not seen often in thai productions, I rate it that high. Yes, they could have made the couple be seperated for all eternity, but overall it does make sense how it played out. The show had his flaws and flow, it's artsy, it kept me interested and it was mature without any cringe or childish parts. The best of all, the actors showed us what they can do after the last two shows which I did not like at all :)

Read More

I started -To Be a Better Man- totally unexpectedly and wow it was such a pleasant and unique experience, this is one of those rare dramas that made me go through various feelings as one minute it can be so funny and the next minute so heartwarming (touching). The strength of TBaBM definitely lies in its main characters (Lu Yuan, Jiang Lai and a few others) and its unique storytelling using flashbacks to narrate us Lu Yuan's past stories and the way he lived back then with his friend(s) and girlfriend , I have to admit they were very efficient and for once I didn't find them boring or redundant. This is really a charming drama.  I don't know how to describe it, it's way more than a drama, it's realistic, it's 100% Hilarious, actually I giggled from the beginning to the end, totally didn't imagine a Chinese drama could make me laugh that much and bring me so much entertainment, Lu Yuan's madness is really something to not miss, I saw a man who only wanted to make his relatives happy and for that he used the most unpredictable ways, I'm sure he didn't even realise he was being crazy and daring while doing all those things; also it's never overly dramatic so it was way easier for me to watch it, especially during the hard times I had these past few months. lastly I feel the need to say it's not a drama about food although our main protagonist is a (world) renowned chef, so in that aspect I was very pleased too as I'm not fond of this genre.
When I say this drama is crazy it's not an overstatement, Truly undefinable.


As I said above I didn't really expect anything from this drama indeed I did find the beginning a bit slow, the first 10 eps were good but something was missing for me to fully enjoy it, I was still curious about Lu Yuan and Jiang Lai and wanted to continue for them as I loved their interactions and their chemistry and found them so intriguing. Also I was very fascinated by the Ost, the colours and the cinematography : the reason why I continued and we can clearly see it's a high budget drama and they did so much effort which are very noticeable if we pay a close attention to every little detail. And slowly I fell in love with Lu Yuan and I think it's around ep 11 when Lu Yuan ordered a Wellington Steak in a restaurant that I realised I was already under his spell and I then I told myself '' this man has clearly nothing to lose, he is special and he has something that no other male leads have, he is strange, full of tricks, fearless and hilarious'' this instant I knew this drama had an offbeat feel and that it would suit my current mood.

This is a story about a man, Lu Yuan who lost everything in the United States and decides to come back to his motherland with his friend's ashes, he is then his friend's daughter guardian and has the duty to take care of her until she becomes an adult. We will follow each and every of his adventure in China, his reunion with his past friends (mostly his ex girlfriend) and his meeting with one enigmatic and fickle woman, Jiang Lai. It looks simple reading it like that but that's all what transported me for 42 eps.
Undeniably Lu Yuan was the highlight of the show and he was truly the only shining star for me though I loved Jiang Lai and Lau Tai Tai (Da Hai's mother) a lot. Lu Yuan is not a character he is more than that, simply too real and too charismatic to be unreal (in my world), that's how much I love and admire this man, we all need a Lu Yuan in our life to illuminate our days.
Of course I need to mention the gorgeous Jian Shu Ying, who completely stole my heart here with her beautiful smile, her mannerisms, capricious and lovely personality, simply I fell in love with her charisma, I think she has a peculiar beauty but all those traits make her so elegant and lovely. She made a great pair with our main actor Sun HongLei and I love every one of their scene together. Da Hai's mother was the sweetest and loveliest character in the drama, so caring, she's also the only one who made me cry here, some of her scenes are too powerful. Of course I loved the little cutie Xiao Cai who truly loves and admires Lu Yuan for who he is, never judging him and accepting him the way he is, without conditions. They both made me smile so much. I did like the other characters, Jia He could be very adorable and understanding but I didn't like how she always wanted to control Lu Yuan's life, she could easily become irritating at times. Don't have much to say about Jiang Haokun and Gan Jing, they clearly don't inspire me!

There are 42 eps but I can tell you that when I was already at the end I wish there were more waiting for me. ><


Now the Ost, I immediately fell in love with this music, I mean the first thing that attracted me in this drama is the opening so enchanting and beautiful, both musically and visually and it's the best I ever heard/seen. The songs and pieces of music here fitted perfectly with the atmosphere of the drama and were well chosen for certain scenes. I love the ending song "Lu Yuan" so so so much, aww.

I think this drama is definitely not for everyone, though it's very special to me and it means a lot as it brought me so many laughter and enjoyment. I'd recommend it more to people who are looking for mature, delirious, not typical and realistic stories though it has a bit of fantasy* (EDIT: eventhough* it felt weird and inappropriate at times it didn't bother me too much hence I change my 9.5 into a 10).
THIS DRAMA IS TERRIBLY UNDERRATED, hope it eventually gets the attention it deserves.

Last but not least I love this quote : "True love is actually very simple and plain, whenever I sit next to him just by the look in his eyes, the tone in his voice I feel strongly that we could both read each other's minds. Some people might never come across such a feeling." Lu Yuan truly deserves to be loved.

Read More

A great drama, film, anime, manga, or any form of media has many elements to be considered to determine whether it's worthwhile or not. Therefore, I need to preface this that I didn't come here to see check this site before I saw this film. If I did I wouldn't haven't take note of the tag anyway. I sooner would have read the review & the comments - maybe.

There is RAPE – very GRAPHIC. This is not a spoiler, this is a warning. If you cannot stomach that, then don't watch it. I found it as unexpected as I did in A Round Trip to Love – very GRAPHIC and Together With Me.

This is an manga based movie. Of all the mangas, yaoi mangas, they could have picked from to turn into a film they chose this one boggles the mind. I went to read the manga* after this travesty to see if I could rationalize this travesty, however two things seemed to happen:
Questions:
1) did the scriptwriters feel they had to remain faithful to the manga?! 2Moons scriptwriters felt the same to their doom.
2) why choose such a poorly conceptualized story? - was it b/c of the popularity of Nodame Cantabile?

I didn’t have a clue for no.1 b/c really that leaves the characters utterly one dimensional and useless. As for no.2, It covers 2 points. The massive craze over BL that has taken over East Asian girls and international girls and men across the board. fujoshi fandom love. In addition, you get to tap into the Nodame Cantabile craze. Mentally it's a win-win. Problem is everything else.

This is a horribly conceptualized story about obsessive love, control, rape, cognitive dissonance, and abuse. We have an individual who will leave everything in his world behind, everything he has owned and search to the ends of the Earth to find this fig mental "thing" he has deemed his love. Then he will take what he "loves" and FORCE it to "love" him back. DEMAND it. The absurdity of it all is that everyone around the victim seems to believe the victim was blessed to be loved in such a way. The victim sees the absurdity of the situation but then falls prey to this thinking and believes the lie of those around him.

** You don't need to read the manga to understand film. I never read before the film. I just read it to see if I could rationalize something. However, it was a direct copy. It did help me in thinking through some of the ideas a bit. Not much.

Read More

If Kar-wai's Chungking Express is an ode to romance, longing and 90s Hong Kong then In the Mood for Love is an ode to 60s Hong Kong, nostalgia and desire. Watching In the Mood for Love will make you in the mood for love.

This film is about details. From small gestures, to quick looks, ringing of the telephone and shots of the clock to show the passing of time, it allows you to venture into a unrequited love story that's not painful but not overly dramatic. Kar-wai channels his use of details to move the story forward without too much effort just with simple rain, simple change of clothes or simple montage that exert such beauty it takes your breath away.

He knows how tell a story not through grand dialogues but through body language which is through cinematography. Not much head space here, much head space there, blurred wall here, never showing the face there, it leaves you guessing but also doesn't leave you in the dark. You know what's happening because it's being shown before it's being told. Repetition is also key here. Repetition blends well with time which blends well with setting and ultimately dances around the story.

If Chungking Express' aesthetic is filled with exotic colors, In the Mood for Love is vibrant and exhilarating with different colors even exhibiting some traces of noir style. Similar themes with Chungking, In the Mood for love portrays a more intimate type of longing, one that's filled with utmost desire that excites us through actions and not words spoken. We are plagued with a nostalgic 60s Hong Kong setting detail by detail and it entraps us into this alluring tale filled with cinematic beauty including slow motions and simple focus on blowing smoke; it is sexy without needing to be.

Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung exhibit such tension that we feel the love without needing to do anything passionate. Cheung's beauty transcends while Leung's restrained depiction is admired. There is delicateness present when they act together that just leaves you hungry for more. Of course this is all made possible by the soundtrack, handled by Shigeru Umebayashi. The music exerts feelings and flirts with Kar-wai's mastery of cinema together with the actors' vivid emotions makes everything a complete package.

Read More

The last time I reviewed a politically tinged romance (that one being All About My Relationship), it seemed fitting to compare the drama to a dessert. In an odd coincidence this analogy works here as well, though without some of the positive connotations. Prime Minister and I begins as an enticing little treat, whose sweetness will draw the viewer in despite preconceptions. However, as if finishing touches were neglected in the kitchen, the last few “bites” will leave one a little hungry and unsatisfied.

“Charming” describes much of this series well. Contract marriages are nothing new to our beloved world of dramas; surely, viewers could also point out dozens where the unavoidable presence of an outsider begins to positively affect a fractured family. But what made Prime Minister and I quite nice was not any presumption of originality, but rather its lighthearted, laid-back shuffle of quirk and classic cliches.

Pacing between dramatic, romantic, and comedic elements typically held up well. There was even a refreshing honesty between characters and even quickness of resolution that I rather enjoyed. Da Jung (Yoona) interacted so naturally with Kwon Yul (Lee Bum Soo) and his children; this entire group of characters were a joy to watch, especially together. Early episodes might have exhibited cinematographic awkwardness, but any such issue was quickly ironed out. Basically, until the final episodes, few problems presented themselves.

All that changed with the poor handling of a certain plot point. As a result, the last three or so episodes seemed to develop anemia. The innate charm still existed, but the drama became paler, poorer, and less fun. This happened to various characters as well. One moment had me sad the series was ending, the next wondering what went wrong with the basic rhythm of the show. Even with this unfortunate turn of events, Prime Minister and I stayed cute and entertaining for most of its run. Even with the big anti-climactic "blah," I have no regrets having watched it to completion.

Lee Bum Soo has often been described to me in glowing terms. It’s shameful, but this is actually my first encounter with him. But what an impression he made! His Kwon Yul felt fully realized and remarkably attractive, despite being depicted as a little stiff and unbending by the writing. Warmth and gravity is important for romantic leads, and he delivered well. Leading lady Yoona generates controversy whenever the subject of her acting pops up. Many say she improved from previous encounters, but my own inexperienced commentary to this point would be useless. For the most part, I found her Da Jung likable and found no real problems with the portrayal. She worked well with Lee Bum Soo; there *was* chemistry, just the quiet sort. Scant physical contact, as well as script failings, dashed the potential in this case.

Yoon Shi Yoon broke my heart somewhat. Not because of anything that befalls his Kang In Ho, but rather the role itself. Character trajectory makes it difficult to like or sympathize with him much, even though the actor looks great and performs well. Ryu Jin (Park Joon Ki) is also gorgeous and caught my eye more often than not, but suffered from the same problems. Returning to the positive, all three child actors were not only perfectly adorable, but competent as well. Little Lee Do Hyun as Man Se, need I say more?

Several instrumentals caught my ear over the course of Prime Minister and I, but truly memorable tracks landed with the vocals. These include two very nice ones from SHINee’s Tae Min (“Steps”) and Yoo Gun (“I Love You To Death”). But as with the cinematography, I found some musical choices a bit messy in initial episodes.

Read More

Take Care of the Young Lady/My Fair Lady is one of those dramas that begin on a funny/light hearted note and end with a melo/romantic note.

The plot revolves around Dongchan, a former gigolo who owes a ridiculous amount of money to three loan sharks (whom I dub as the Three Stooges because they are honestly more comical than threatening). He plans his way to pay the debt by becoming the personal butler of the extremely wealthy and egotistical Kang Hyena.

It surprises me how some people were not able to see the chemistry between the two main leads. Yoon Sang Hyun and Yoon Eun Hye won the Best Couple Award for this drama. So, its safe to say that the duo won't disappoint you. In the beginning episodes you'll probably not like Hyena. For one, she's verbally insensitive to those around her and has no qualms with being quick with the hands. Then along comes Dongchan who quickly puts Hyena in her place... though he suffers for it both verbally and physically.

Now you all are probably saying to yourselves "How can I get behind this romance when one is abusive?!" Well I'm here to tell you that that abuse doesn't last very long. I wish I could do a more in depth review but since this site has a "No spoilers" policy then I'll try my best to keep shut with certain points. As the story progresses, you realize and see for yourself that Hyena is not a bad person by any means. All she is is just spoiled. Lets take a look at Hyena. Hyena was born with a sliver spoon in her mouth. She's filthy rich and with a snap of her fingers she gets what she wants.
When you watch the drama, you realize that she doesn't have any real, TRUE friends. Why? You could say it is because of her personality and that she has an air of superiority around her but try and look at it from her perspective. Hyena doesn't trust anyone. Why? She's rich and because of that fact she FEELS like she can't trust anyone. Hyena has that little voice in the back of her mind telling her that the only reason a person will ever get close to her is because of her money. I'm not rich but as I watched this drama I could see why Hyena would close herself off and be distrusting of others.

When it comes to Dongchan, he's a down to earth kind of guy who has made some tough decisions in his past. Your heart will ache a bit for him when you learn the real reason why he became a gigolo and ended up in so much debt. His relationship with Hyena has many funny and touching moments. Dongchan too realizes that Hyena is just a spoiled brat and instead of becoming her enemy, as he had planned, he becomes her friend. Their friendship gets to the point where Hyena feels she can't even go a day without him by her side. And from there you know the usual K-Drama formula of the two eventually falling in love with each other.

What I loved the most about this drama was the relationship between the two leads and how they truly fell in love. Dongchan is very hesitant since many would view him as a poor man with a shady past. He is willing to give up his love if it means that Hyena will be happy. Hyena on the other hand refuses to let go and pretty much says screw what other people think.

What I disliked about the drama... though not exactly relevant to the main plot, there are a few parts where characters mention Hyena's ex-boyfriend and its kinda left up in the air for the viewer to figure out what happened. Overall I'd say its just a nitpick.

Also, the supporting characters Eui Joo and Taeyun are great as well. I always chuckled a bit whenever Eui Joo would say or do something funny and in turn would make Taeyun smile or laugh.

The music is great and meshes well with many of the scenes. Fun fact: Yoon Sang Hyun sang two of the songs in the soundtrack. One of them is a duet with Yoon Eun Hye. Both of them have beautiful singing voices.

I would recommend to those that are interested in this awesome drama is to give it a chance. When I start something, I finish it. Maybe I won't finish a drama right away but eventually I will. Hope you all enjoyed reading this review and take the time to check out this drama.

Read More