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I never watch films without reading its synopsis but this was a great exception.
2-Storyline/Plot : On the outside, it may sound like the Korean version of "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" but somehow I thought it was special with its own events and its own charm.
I laughed so hard while watching this to the point that I tried blocking my mouth with my hands since was afraid that I may wake everyone in the house: yes, it was really funny! The story wasn't outstanding but the laughter moments (and sometimes romance moments) made me fall for it.
3-Acting/Cast : I like Kim Ha Neul and yeah she was cool here but I believe that Kang Ji Hwan was the leader of this film; he really cracked me up and the way he screams was so freaking funny, he really managed to pertray his role in a perfect way and most of all, he was believable.
4-The ending : I loved the final scene but the general ending was a typical rom-com ending.
5-My impression: This film literally cracked me up; I remember laughing my stomach out until I almost rolled on the floor late at night. This is a unforgettable film indeed.
6-Overall : This is the type of film that I would recommend to anyone:
There's laughter.
The funny romance.
Action (especially the hilarious action scenes with Kang Ji Hwan).
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This review may contain spoilers
Best adaptation so far
First and foremost, I have seen all of the adaptations of this story except the Korean version. So, I do have a good idea about the original story and added elements. I do enjoy this story, but must admit that it can be very toxic at times. But, I'm sure that anyone who has seen even one adaptation of this story can see that this is not one of those times.Let's look into detail:
The story telling in this version is multi-layered and well-executed. The screenwriters did an excellent job of combining the best elements from all of the adaptations into one excellent drama. The story moves quickly, as in the Japanese version, and the time is well managed. While everything in the other adaptations feels preplanned and done for the sake of the story, the story in this Thai version felt more natural and like it was going with the flow. There were no fillers or extraneous side plots. The story had a lot more depth, making this adaptation more interesting than the others. The only aspect of the story that could have been improved is the ending. The amnesia plot appeared to be rushed. They could have spent more time on it or simply ignored it.
Another aspect of this story that stands out is the use of advanced technology, such as social media, to improve communication between the characters. In addition, the bullying in this version is more draconian and brutal. I'm not sure if this is a good or bad thing, but it's something to consider. In any case, this helped to deepen and flesh out the story and characters respectively.
While the other adaptations focus solely on the romance plot, this one also includes strong messages about patriarchy and other social issues that are currently prevalent in Thai societies.
There are many memorable scenes in this story that we will never forget. Without them, the story is incomplete. In most adaptations, it is done exaggeratedly, but in this case, it is more convincing. The scene in which Gorya kicks Thyme was well done, and when Thyme was stabbed, showing that it was his mother, not him, made it more plausible and also demonstrated Thyme's love for his mother. It enabled in removing many unnecessary scenes and moving the story along quickly.
Characters in this story are more developed and have more depth. It's clearer why some characters made certain decisions, which makes them more acceptable.
Gorya, the female lead, has the same character as before. Except for the removal of her confusion, no major changes have occurred. I believe you understand what I mean. In the majority of the other adaptations, she is unsure how she feels about the F4 members. She is frequently torn between her feelings for the male lead and her feelings for the second male lead. In this adaptation, however, she is certain of her feelings and fights for them. In this adaptation, she has a very strong and mature character, which I am very pleased with.
The male lead, Thyme's character, has undergone the most transformations. He has been fully developed as a character. It is made perfectly clear in this adaptation, why he is forced to be a bully, why he is forced to be the way he is. It is clearly shown that he has a very complex personality and that he is not a bad person. He beats people to conceal his vulnerable side, which he never showed to anyone else. He wants his mother to love him, which is why he does these thing: to prove that he is deserving of fulfilling her dream.
Ren's character, the second male lead, frequently leaves the audience wondering whether he likes the female lead or not. In the other adaptations, it is unclear what his emotions are. But, in this case, we get the impression that, despite accompanying Gorya through difficult times, he simply has a brotherly or friendly affection for Gorya. He is aware of Gorya's feelings for Thyme, and he is the one who brings it to Gorya's attention. He wholeheartedly supports Thyme's relationship with her.
I don't think there have been any significant changes for Kavin and MJ. Also their screen time is less than that of the other characters. However, both of their stories were told successfully without becoming overdramatic, as in the Chinese version. Kavin and Kanning's love is depicted strongly, but I didn't get the impression like he was playing with her emotions in this version. MJ's love story has taken a new turn. It appears at the end of all episodes, beginning with Episode 9, in the form of a KFC advertisement.
Thyme's mother's character in this version is the best. While, in most other adaptations, she is portrayed as a ruthless tyrant who doesn't care about her children and only cares about business, in this she has been portrayed as an evil businesswoman yet as a mother who loves her children but don't know how to express her feelings. He wants Thyme to be happy in cruel business world, which is why she puts pressure on him to be the way he is.
The majority of the supporting characters, despite their insignificance, had rich backstories that didn't feel uninteresting or unnecessary. However, the time was also very well managed in this case. This really wowed me.
On an overall basis, all of the cast members did an excellent job of bringing the characters to life. Bright was competent, but his acting was occasionally unconvincing. I believe he could have done a better job if he had become more expressive. He's a good actor, but he needs to improve his acting abilities. Tu and Dew both did an excellent job portraying their characters despite the fact that this was their debut. I hope to see them on more projects in the future. Win and Nani also did their best with the limited screen time they were given. I'm impressed by the acting and chemistry among the main cast members. The chemistry between them was incredible, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.Cindy, on the other hand, is the best of the best. She did an excellent job as Roselyn. Even though I dislike her character, I can't deny her incredible acting skills, which allowed her to play an evil mother convincingly.
This is the only adaptation that managed the equality in looks of the leads. all were eye candies to watch!
Finally, this is the best Hana Yori Dango adaptation I've seen so far. Anyone who enjoys this should watch the Thai version. Also, if you needs some eye candies, come watch this. Indeed, this is a highly recommended drama.
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I felt that the drama was light and easy to enjoy in comparison to other secret agent dramas that I have seen! There was no great conspiracy, loads of secrecy, huge amount of fighting scenes, etc etc. I liked that the plot focused on a secret agent who becomes a bodyguard to an actor and still carries out his duties as an agent: it made the story work - of course very unrealistic but which drama isn't xD
I have to say the cast was great! All of the actors fit their characters and made the drama work. I really have to give kuddos to Park HaeJin's acting in this! His actions and facial reactions just brought the drama a kind of humour I really enjoy! And maybe because of this as well that it was nice to watch, and more light hearted than other secret agent dramas.
Of course, I did have a hard time to come in terms with Kim Min Jung's hair - seriously they cut her hair way to short!!
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1
1This review may contain spoilers
Great chemistry and fast paced
Everyone has different opinions, and that's why cdramas are so great because there's something for everyone.This drama really suits what I like. The best point for me of this drama is the chemistry between the ML, FL and the FL's brother.
They make a great trio. You can immediately sense the chemistry between the ML and the FL. They look very natural and comfortable with each other. You can sense that the ML liked the FL at first sight, and that the FL only has eyes for the ML regardless of how many men chase her.
For me the flashbacks of the FL and ML's previous romance make me look forward to them getting back together even more. They both are very good at acting with their eyes, when they look at each other you can see their love and care for each other.
The FL's brother adds a nice comedic element to the main duo, and his character development is something you don't see much in similar dramas.
I've seen people say the ML's character is the same as in the rise of Ning (another drama which I liked a lot). Yes they do have similarities.
They are both scheming, have some sort of hidden agenda and control an influential group. However, in rise of Ning, his character is serious like 90% of the time, where as, while he is serious here, there are also a lot more moments where he plays a more comedic or relaxed role. I think his role in this drama is more similar to his role in 'are you the one.' There a more moments where he acts romantic, comedic or even foolish, that brings a lighter feel in my opinion.
One thing I think that sets this drama apart a little is the fast paced nature of the plot. Especially at the beginning, there are almost mini arcs regarding the FL's sisters that in another drama might take 5 or more episodes to see the problem or drama resolved. However in this drama, problems with the FL's sisters and problems the FL faces early on are resolved within 2 episodes normally. I like this fast paced nature as it keeps the plot engaging, but it can feel a little rushed and confusing at time due to the different characters being introduced in a short amount of time.
I also really like how for the most part any misunderstandings or secrets are cleared up explained quite fast, their communication and honesty is so refreshing (besides the FL's big secret, but that's understandable).
As for the main antagonist, I do think their overall 'reason' for hating the FL and her family is not really convincing, but they do sell it well and make it believable. I think this is due to the acting of the main antagonist. She does a great job of portraying her craziness but also calmness. As the main plot and main villains are revealed, I think the story continues to become more engaging.
I think overall, this drama blends romance, comedy and a bit of seriousness well. I really enjoyed the ML and FL's relationship and their trio with the FL's brother. To me, they really made this show. The villains are engaging and it's interesting to find out the reason they hate the FL, even though in the end some may consider her reason silly. The main villa does a good job of selling it. If you are a fan of the FL or the ML, you will definitely enjoy their romance and their chemistry, and will thus enjoy this drama, just like I did.
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want to see the actors in something else
Overall: the leads' excellent chemistry couldn't save Twins' poor writing. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/3782/twins-2023-e01 ; re-aired on Lovemedia Thailand YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIFuZIdAgzTjbXN2ypTCNBGNY0PQQTgxG&si=TmjC1-YF7k_mWZTdWatch Suggestions (unless you enjoy slow pacing, stupid decision-making and poor communication)
- read the synopsis/watch the trailer and skip episodes 1-3
- episode 4 watch up to 10 minutes, then 29 and then at 36 minutes
- episode 5 start at 17 minutes and can watch on a faster speed to the end
- episode 6 watch 18-20 and 23-24 minutes
- episode 7 start at 18 minutes and can watch on a faster speed to the end
- episode 8 start at 10 minutes and can watch on a faster speed to the end
- episode 9 watch 24-25 and 29-31 minutes
- episode 10 watch 15-30 minutes
- episode 11 watch 12:20-15:20 side couple
- episode 12 watch entire episode
Content Warnings: violence/fight/beaten up, manipulation, non con picture taking/sharing, cyberbullying
What I Liked
- a sports based BL
- good chemistry with the main couple
- a side couple grew on me
Room For Improvement
- needed the twins to be better differentiated similar to Not Me, even if one was dressed like the other, the voice and mannerism should have immediately signaled to the audience who it was, there were a few times I wasn't sure who was supposed to be who in a scene
- slow pacing, entire first episode was set up, watched most of the series on 2x speed
- Sprite needed to say something way earlier, his brother Zee was a nonredeemable jerk and all the characters shared 3 brain cells
- way too many side characters introduced quickly, took awhile to figure out who was who and then several plot threads weren't developed well
- toilet humor at the end of episode 3
- for one couple, the pursuer was a bit too aggressive and the pursuee was a bit too reluctant for too long
- choppy editing
- in episode 10 the fictional 'so drunk can't remember in the morning what happened but was an active participant during' cliche
- final episode rushed several character endings
- terrible characters that didn't get any consequences, just the "leave us alone/don't do this again or else...."
- plot holes/nonsense writing
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This review may contain spoilers
RUSHED ENDING (ALMOST) RUINED THE SERIES
Big Mouth should have been an easy 9.5, but that bit - the last 10 minutes of the finale almost ruined the entire series.To be honest, this series was one of the few that i have watched and waited for every week. This is probably Lee Jong Suk's best role to date. The very first episode will snare you like a mouse to a mouse trap, and youll find yourself wanting to see and know more. It was a fantastic setup.
Not until you reached that last 10 minutes that you will realize how stupid (or incredibly smart) the creators must have thought of their viewers - that they thought they could wrap the whole 16 episodes in a few minutes. It just doesnt feel rushed, it felt like a betrayal of trust. In the risk of being spoilery, the ending felt very out of character for the main leads. After the credits rolled i have to double check if there were more upcoming episodes, because for sure they didnt just wrapped the series in less than 10minutes. Or did they?
Would it hurt to add another episode or at least extend the finale by another 30mintues?
Like i said earlier, this could be Lee Jong Suk's best role to date. Im Yoo Na was also amazing until the character wasnt. Kim Jeo Hoon is impressive as hell and gave LSJ a run for his money. Yang Kyung Won maximized his screentime until the creators relegated him into a useless minor character by the last three episodes.
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This review may contain spoilers
Playing Peek-a-boo With the Interesting Plotline
Khun Dad!?! Dafug you mean Khun Dad??? And what the hell was that dancing pose? Dude out there looking like a confused triangle. Look, I’m used to people in love having ridiculous nicknames like my Mosquito net, Donut lips, Baboon butt and Chicken thighs. But I draw the line at effing Khun Dad. Dafug?? Can’t believe Bank was able to say that with a straight face and Mos didn’t throw up on him every time he said it.Anyway, I’m sure y’all remember that abomination when Pit Babe made us throw up our lunch going ‘Mama, Papa’ *race car noises*, right? Yeah, prepare to wanna throw up last christmas’ turkey, cuz there’s a whole new cringe in town.
This week on BLs Cringe Hot 100
#1 Khun Dad. [NEW]
#2 Mama, Papa, Pitbabe. [-1]
#3 I’ll Kiss You Till You Drop, 2gether. [=]
#8 I'll Be Your Vaccine, Fish Upon A Sky [+3]
This was legit me when I heard that nickname for the first time.
SALIN: We are soo in love, let’s have cute nicknames. I’ll call you, Khun Dad. *in love noises*
ME: Did he just say…nah, *shakes head.* I must have misheard.
SALIN: Khun Dad.
ME: God forbid!
WHY Child??? May this level of inlove-ness-ness never locate me! Mister effing Dad?? Why? Peoples, he said Khun Dad with his whole chest!! Maybe I found this repulsive because I’m as romantic as those bl scenes where they think giving their partners that yellow ice tea and drinking it slowly is romantic. Khun Dad. The devil is a liar!
Listen, thanks to dramas, single people have not known peace in this fandom. There’s always some romantic nonsense to make people look 1000 times more single. And in this show, there are so many romantic scenes from both the first and second leads that make single people look like they live in a hole, alone, with 21 cats. And yes, good for them, they are in love. But gawwwd do some of the romantic gestures makes me cringe.
- The Khun Dad
- The I love you in 6 languages or more
- That woman/Salin prisoner who turned into a light in the finale and promised to spend her next life loving Sun in a wig, who is a half snake lord of something. It vexed me, cuz the eff you mean after he locked you up for centuries you wanna be born again and love him? People in love should be abandoned at disneyland on their birthdays.
And do y’all remember that dancing Salin and Sun did on their first? date? That pose at the end was the most effing awkward, embarrassing, unsexiest thing I’d ever seen. Homeboy out there looking like the cousin of that one gingerbread from Shrek. Literally, what the hell was that? Whose idea was that? Get the hell outta here.
Khun Dad. Why, just why? What did we do to deserve this? What did I do to the writers? Why they gonna subject me to that? People In Love Are So Disgusting. Ew.
PLOT
SunsetXvibes feels like a fancy arse dessert I ordered, but when it came, it tasted like cupboard paper with pink sparkles. Cuz, why was the show playing peek-a-boo with the interesting storyline? Mfers had a naked guy napping in some water and spent 98.6% of the drama in the office talking about necklaces. Going in, I thought we were going to see behind the scenes of what happens in these sort of companies. You know, there'd be fashion shows like in the finale, biddings wars to see their designs worn by famous celebrities in magazines and events, you know, the ins and outs of the glamorous world. Instead we got them clicking on computers, talking about designing and meetings.
And okay sure, what I got wasn't want I expected, but interning at a jewellery company, cool, nice, but what about that butt naked dude? When are you going to tell me about him? How does it connect to this main plot?
The screenwriters were like: how many random flashbacks you want with no context or development?
Director: Yes.
Literally, were the flashbacks supposed to intrigue us? The first two times sure, but after we kept getting barely there glances with no correlation to the current plot-line, I straight up went and filled in my own thing.
ME: Ahh, so in his past life, he used to moonlight as a naked river god, who knew some woman. Either that or he went swimming one time and someone stole his cloth. Then I was like ‘hmmm, is it like The Sign? It reminds me of the sign, is a dragon looking snake gonna show up? Then bam, it showed up.
No, but the writers? ruin this. They had a good plot on paper, but they were so busy having the leads act all cutesy, and acting below their adult age with unnecessary nonsense misunderstandings, that, they forgot the actual plot, dragged the flashback reveal and forgot to connect the two stories. Plus that flashback seems to just be hanging around, you know, like that one uncle who comes for christmas and just sits in the corner? He there, we can see him, but like, we all pretending he has on one of them Harry Potter invisibility cloaks. When they finally told us what the hell the flashbacks were about, I’d lost all interest and was like ‘Oh, okay, sure, whatever, move it along. Did I remember to turn off the iron?... Wait, I don't own an iron.’
Although there was no connection of that flashback plot and this current one, cuz it's randomly inserted with no follow ups, it felt far more interesting. Because, the flashbacks plot had: unrequited love, Salin being the reincarnation/spirit? of the trapped lady, Nagas, Sun in a wig from Shein was like some lord or another and Salin killed someone. Interesting stuff, tell me more.
Instead, we get Salin designing something that always gets stolen/patented, the company turning into a dating app for Salin and his friends. Also, what does Yo and Pim do all day? Sure they on the computer but are they designing stuff or just ordering lunch? Then of course in-between the two things happening there are lots of NC scene. From the pool table to that artsy painting room, to Sam's office sofa, to that dressing room... which were all...hihi...yeah...stuff. Having soup while watching/hearing that NC in the finale was unfortunate.
So yeah, I wanted a correlation between the two stories, instead the writers threw the plot with the Naga and murder away to make room for unnecessary stuff. And what the hell was that finale? Talk about if irrelevant lived next door to uneventful and anti-climatic. The finale was filled with awkward cringy scenes. Which meant the flashback plot was quickly wrapped up with nonsense. Literally when did we see lord Sun in a wig always being there to protect Salin? And that was it? that woman who has been trapped for forever turned into a light and died? And since when can Salin close his eyes and summon Sun in a wig? LIKE??? arrgggg. meh. I’m sure the writers wanted the flashbacks to intrigued us, but with no real connection to the main plot it became uninteresting. Cuz really, what was I supposed to be looking forward to with 3 seconds flash back every two episodes?
Also, that man person with a gun in the finale. Who the hell was he? What was his job, and why the hell did he want to steal designs? I'm sure he was introduced in the start, but he's so forgettable and irrelevant that he could have been replaced by one of those necklaces and it wouldn't have made a darn different.
And can we talk about when Salin finally found out what the flashbacks were about? I expected more reaction from him, but homeboy came out of the flashback, ignored everything he saw, and instead went to design a necklace. CHILD??? You not even gonna wonder how this lord who looks like Sun in a wig likes you in this lifetime?? You gonna save your past self or? What kind of dollar store arse reaction was that??
Literally this was him when he finally found out what his dream/nightmares were about.
ME: Wow, Sun's the reincarnation of the lord/guy in the wig???
SALIN: Did you see his necklace?
ME: OMG your past self, who is still in the cave, is alive. There's two of you. You gonna save her?
SALIN: She was the one who gave him the necklace.
ME: You killed that woman. You murdered a person with dark smoke magic.
SALIN: I'm gonna design that necklace.
ME: But---but there's literally two of you in existence right now, and you killed a sister.
SALIN: Anyone have some crayons, I need to start designing.
HOW? Just---HUH? No, but really, dafug was that reaction? If the character himself doesn't think it's important, how are the viewers suppose to be interested or take it serious? That whole flashback story-line felt like it was written so Salin can design a gothic looking necklace to win the competition, which was completely unnecessary. Not gonna lie, that whole award competition felt awkward with unnecessary cringy dialogue from the staff. I'm gonna comfort myself by believing Lin's design won cuz it was different looking than the rest...cuz ain't no way.
And while the flashback plot wasn’t giving us much, the main plot wasn’t keeping my interest either. Lots of cutesy stuff, with adults acting below their age and not much else going on. Cuz the plot with who has been stealing/patenting designs ended in 0.2 seconds. It was so anti-climatic and ended so quick, they needed another character to overact and explain it to the viewers for 5 unnecessary minutes complete with an ad. No but the finale was... did they run out of ideas and had 1 hour to fill? Cuz literally, the eff was that work bathroom scene? On the plus side, some of Sal's outfits in this drama slays, so at least I can comfort myself with that. yaay me?
I think MosBank can do so much better than this plot. I saw them in Big Dragon, so seeing them act different here, all calm, cute and innocent, and being all in-true-love is refreshing/different to see. Although they are the leads, I don’t think they are the reason for how unremarkable this turned out. The plot is just very mediocre, sort of repetitive and boring. They didn’t have much to work with. Yes, they had the chemistry to keep fans watching, but unfortunately, their chemistry couldn’t save this. Everything was so meh that in some scenes they seem to even loose their chemistry, and those two has a lot of it, even on random Tuesdays. And there was only so much the supporting cast could add. I hope in their next work, the plot is more interesting, and it doesn’t rely heavily on the actors carrying the show of a poorly executed story.
CHARACTERS
The supporting cast didn’t have much going for them. Still, they each had something small going on, though the ones that stood up the most were the second couples. They were cute. I was cheering for Sam and Yo from the start. Their chemistry was chemistrying. And they knew the correct way to call each other, P'Sam and Nong Yo, very cute, no vomit in sight. Also, was everyone as surprised as I was to find out Sam goes to the gym in-between buying hair gel?
LMAO, was I the only one who laughed at Sam's new look after his secret of being the second son of the company was revealed? Homeboy showed up with a whole new hairstyle, minus glasses, and a single strand of hair threatening to poke him in the eye. I was like, okay, arite, I guess poor people don’t use hair gel, good for you. LOL.
I feel the gl couple could have developed more, instead of Prim spending most of the series being nonchalant. When they did get together, I couldn't really vibe with their chemistry, they cute, but I wanted more reason to cheer for them. Like with Sam and Yo, where they had those little moments that all added to them falling in love. Looking back all I recall of the gl couple is Prim always saying no to whatever Pim was asking her. So yeah, they were there.
My fav scene in this whole series might be when they found out Lin’s dating the CEO. Sam’s face going ‘I can’t believe I’m related to this dumbass’ made me roll with laughter. I also liked when Lin dropped kicked that weirdo. Oh, and how the friends were not surprise that Sam and Yo were dating. I mean, you could cut the intense with a bread knife.
Oh, and what the hell was up with those random foreign language one liners they kept inserting? Is that whats cool these days or am I not chronically online enough to be in the known? First it was just Pim, but then everyone was suddenly doing it...okay? And like, was it me or did the finale never seemed to end? Whenever I thought it was over, another scene popped up.
Now, Back to the Khun Dad debacle. Anyone else wanted to throw tiny rocks at Lin every time he said Khun Dad? That shit was corny and cringy as eff. People in love deserves no rights. And Salin didn’t even say it once and got over it. Every second he was like, Khun Dad do you want to dance? Khun Dad do you want to eat shrimps? Khun Dad see my necklace. Child!! will you keep quiet??? I’m gonna be haunted by this until MosBanks next drama.
Anyway, in the end, it is what it is, and the bad execution of the plot ruined an otherwise interesting story. I expected a lot more from this. I hope MosBank gets to work with a great story(well executed) for their next project, so people see how talented they are. I'll still recommend this to fans, and anyone interested in boss-employee relationship. And to those who like CEO sons pretending to be poor stories, cuz you'd like Sam and Yo.
EDIT: HAHAHAHAHSKJWPRISKEJR.... soooo in the special episode.... Lin is pregnant? Or is gonna get pregnant. Literally, what in the random arse plot was that? sudden... mpreg? well it was planned, but whomst?? who's driving this thing? what's even happening?
That being said, the main song of this drama was soooo good! At least they got one thing right.
Anywho, Khun Dad I guess.
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I recommend this just because it's so entertaining to watch. I especially recommend it if one of your biases is featured in an episode and odds are they probably are because what a line-up!
Story-wise, I thought Ok Taec Yeon's was the funniest and the best. Kai's noona storyline was cute as well. Subjectively, I liked Ji Chang Wook's because I'm biased and it gave me 'Healer' vibes all over again.
Music is lighthearted and the theme song is sang by Ji Chang Wook!
Like I said earlier, it's a purely fun watch so don't expect great stories. After all, didn't we all come here to see our favorite biases? I know I did!
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I lost braincells watching this
I think my main issue with this series is that Nhai is so unrealistically brainless. His childishness has been an issue for me since EP1 and I feel like no character development occurred. The dialogue was ridiculous (though this could have been a subtitle issue because I felt that they got progressively worse).Ai and Nhai are cute, don't get me wrong, and I like their little gang but really what was the point of this series? 12 episodes and barely anything happened. If I was more invested in the characters maybe I would have appreciated the constant fluff but they had no depth despite several plot points being presented yet not explored.
This would have been better as a short series with maybe half the amount of episodes... Don't waste your time.
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This review may contain spoilers
One of the best summer dramas with top notch acting. Despite the loopholes and divergences from the source material, the drama is worth watching thanks to the acting of two main leads especially Zhu Yi Long, who knows how to subtly convey the micro changes on his face and a great range of emotions. Moreover, its opening song is epic. Despite the fact that most people on youtube do not find the ending satisfactory, I believe it is good/satisfactory as it insinuates that love will go on even after death and for those who believe in reincarnation, it is a promising end. Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
*Spoilers are only in the last paragraph, regarding the ending*I enjoyed I Hear You up until episode 17, as a lighthearted drama without any elements that made me angry or annoyed (which feels pretty rare with Chinese modern dramas). I personally enjoy the 'pretend couple becomes real' trope. From episode 17 onward, I felt like the plot lost momentum and then finally, several elements of the final two episodes really bothered me.
Ye Shu Wei (Riley Wang) is a successful and talented violin maker who doesn't like other people, and he grows a lot throughout the show as he begins to care about Bei Er Duo (Zhao Lusi). Bei Er Duo is kind and determined; she has a dream of becoming a voice actress and her goal is to study abroad in Japan. I loved that she was always studying, working hard to improve herself, and wanted to rely on her talent not connections. Ye Shu Wei and Bei Er Duo slowly grow to care for each other, and since they are both inexperienced in love, they feel like an even-leveled match despite him being rich and successful. But to be honest, their relationship is pretty boring. There were some cute moments and some cringey moments but nothing memorable. I actually felt like Shu Wei put much more effort and heart into their relationship, in trying to understand her, encourage her, and prepare surprises for her. (But Riley Wang's stony-faced acting bored me.)
Shu Wei and Er Duo agreeing to be on a couples competition show seemed like a far-fetched premise but the characters Yu Sheng and Tang Li help make it a little believable since they are the producers(?) for the show. Tang Li's character arc is fantastic and is the one great thing in this show. I loved that she faced her feelings head on, stuck to her principles, and worked hard to find her own happiness. Her storyline wasn't what I expected, but she articulated it well when she explained her decisions to Er Duo. The maturity of her character was such a sharp contrast to Er Duo's childish behavior.
*SPOILERS BELOW*
As for the last two episodes... I hated the two phone calls that Er Duo receives. Why did other people feel like they had the right to blame Er Duo for Shu Wei's choices? I liked that Er Duo sat down with him at the beach and talked about it honestly but why did Shu Wei not respond? Even though Er Duo returned the ring, it felt so inconclusive. (Also, if he really wanted to give up violin making/didn't care about that major violin order, I can respect his choice.) The last straw for me was how Er Duo chose to separate from Shu Wei. They had checked in their luggage and he was being paged for the flight so it just made no sense on so many levels. At the very least she could have sent him a text message after clearing security. The last scene was so strange and inconclusive. I wish that instead she had said at the beach, hey don't come to Japan with me, don't give up your work and let's date long distance for now and see how it goes...
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This review may contain spoilers
Surprisingly Wholesome
This is the first review I've done, but I felt compelled because of how much I loved and adored this show.First off, this show is equally a comedy and a drama. There are puns, script-sequences (and dreams), and slapstick humor. But there's also murders, mysteries, and emotional angst. Additionally, there are hints at romance and feelings of that nature between the two leads, whose developing bond/trust carries the show in the latter half, but it is not acknowledged between the two or explored. And understandably so. I mean, he is a zombie. However, it does result in an open ending that's actually nice and hopeful. So if you're looking for romance, you may be satisfied enough; if you're not, there's nothing explicit to repel you.
On to the details. I went into this drama with low and uncertain expectations, and from episode 3 (3/12, or 5&6/24) onward it consistently surprised me. For the most part, the plot was unpredictable. If you watch a lot of shows in general then you can guess the parameters of what will or won't happen, but the situations the characters got in, the cases pursued, and the plot twists - especially those of the Santa Killer and the main zombie origins storylines - were well-paced and subtly foreshadowed. Few things happened completely out of the blue but few things were ridiculously obvious either. The limit of 12 hours for run-time helped keep the story concise and humming along.
The only times it dragged were episodes 1-2 and later 9-10. 1-2 were slow because they were used for set-up. However, the time spent establishing the many characters and more importantly how the zombie science/logic works built the foundation for the rest of the show. The audience isn't dropped in as much as some other shows and I actually appreciated that. I also can't recall any plots, arcs, or character quirks that suddenly disappeared by the finale or were left hanging unaddressed. There was even a call-back to Seon Ji's former PD in episode 11, which was nice. For episodes 9-10, which were heavier on the gimmicks than any of the others, the divergence to the brother-in-law's scripts was used as a comedy reprieve. I usually hate comedy in this slapstick style but I actually enjoyed these scenes! I don't know, they just worked! The show made fun of itself in these moments and you can tell the cast had a lot of fun on set.
All the characters had their own charm, too. There were the bumbling neighboring detectives that like someone said look like they've come out of the '80s, the female lead's quirky family, the small-town style and good-natured police station, and the leads themselves. The male lead starts out as a shell of a person motivated to return to being human, find himself, and fill in his memories. The answers he finds genuinely made me cry. But it's the journey with Seon Ji at his side and everyone else comprising this found-family trope that really helps him find peace with himself, zombie and/or human. Also, some comments disparaged the female lead for her reckless behavior. This proved to be very much part of her character arc and the actress did a great job with that, I think. Seon Ji could actually be quite clever. She was just most motivated by her passion for justice, and that's not bad, because she did get better at pausing to think and she did learn how to channel it better by the end.
In the finale, the male lead thinks about the humans and zombies he's seen and uses the word 'humane', and I think that's what the heart of this story came down to. The question posed from the very beginning was: what's the difference between a zombie and a human? A question with an obvious answer, right? But the male lead hates himself and is constantly fighting to repress his hunger for humans. His hesitancy to kill, even for the safety of others, is actually a detriment several times. He starts off actually scared of humans, then learns it's more nuanced than that. There's many good - and many evil. It's all about how humane a person is - who a person is, not what - that matters. Maybe I'm thinking too deeply about this silly show, but it's because of this and the consistent use of the found-family trope that I called this show surprisingly wholesome. It's a zombie show, but it's not just a zombie show.
As said, the ending offers hope and wraps up almost all the threads nicely. Some are left open intentionally I think for a second season, judging by the post-credits scene, while others were left open only because they weren't explicitly spelled out, though the future for the characters was obvious. I usually have a complaint here or there by the end but honestly I can't think of anything. I enjoyed the whole ride.
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am glad they ended it so beautifully .. but am so sad that it all came to an end :( ... i want more of CYHMH ...
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A Fateful Mix Up
She's the daughter of a street artist and is forced to marry a bandit. Another is the daughter of a prince and is arranged to marry a general. The brides are switched, all because of the misread of a simple character, resulting in the commoner marrying the general and the royal princess waiting to marry the bandit. It is this seemingly simple play of words/characters that has attracted my attention and drawn me into the story.On that fateful day while waiting to be married off, both Xiao Wanzi (Li Gengxi aka Teresa Li) and Lu Yingyao (Sun Anke) are in their respective rooms in a motel until chaos strikes. In confusion, they run back into the wrong rooms because they misread the characters 竹 ("zhu") and 林 ("lin") which may look rather similar in certain calligraphy style. From there, they are sent to the wrong households as the wrong brides, and their fates totally change.
At the general's mansion, very soon Mei Shiqing (Huang Junjie) realizes Xiao Wanzi is an imposter. Nothing like a supposedly well-groomed princess, Xiao Wanzi is crass, has a common look and an illiterate. However, she is streetwise, honest, compassionate and upstanding as she protects others with her own life, and this is enough for Mei Shiqing to fall in love with her. He also has a secret identity as Ye Ling Xia that Xiao Wanzi idolizes. Like Batman, Ye Ling Xia helps the poor and weak. Numerous times, she comes forward to help him fend off the enemies, though he doesn't really need her help because he's a skilled martial artist and a superhero. But her selfless acts impress and attract him.
As Xiao Wanzi, Li Gengxi is very convincing with a lot of animated expressions, after all she uses to perform on the street and needs her vivacity for her acts. Many viewers find her not attractive enough, but for me, she fits the role well because Xiao Wanzi is supposed to be a very common looking girl with no sophistication.
Huang Junjie is very good looking and he looks extremely well as a wordless cold character. However, he still hasn’t grasped how to play such a stern character fully; frowning doesn't make him look serious but makes him look constipated. The only moments I find his acting perfect are when he tells people to “get out” in a stern voice, expressionless, and when he dresses as the superhero character with a mask.
I love the second couple here in particular Lu Yingyao who is well read, gentle and kind without the spoilt princess temperament. And she falls in love with the adopted son of the bandit, Xiao Bao (Ding Jiawen) who has a good heart. Under her coaxing, Xiao Bao eventually abandons his life as a bandit.
What seemingly two mismatched pairs become best of friends and love each other with no judgement of their respective backgrounds. Hanging around the mix up identities lurks something nefarious – smuggle, money laundering and conspiracy. The supervillain is not revealed until the final episode.
The Chinese title, “huā hǎo yuè yòu yuan” (the flowers are good and the moon is round), gives hints of the ending of the story. There are some pretty good OSTs here that I have enjoyed very much.
My Verdict
Though the storyline is not new, and can be tropey at times with predictable outcome, this is still rather a fun watch with a superhero protagonist, an animated first female lead, an intelligent lovable second female lead, an antagonist turns protagonist, and a hidden supervillain. The comedy is cute and sweet. For romance buffs, the two couples have never been separated since they first meet, and there are no misunderstandings that are not resolved quickly. There could be flaws here and there but the writing and editing are decent. Overall, it’s quite an enjoyable drama.
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