I find more fault with the whole "Drama Producing Machine" rather than with the writers, actors or director. I think if this show would have been able to stay on course and end at 16 episodes it would have been beyond great. The extra filler did it no favors. Having said all that...
This drama had such a different and fresh feel to it! Yes, it was quirky and had clichés but there was also a charming departure in the way they used those clichés. It seemed the familiar drama tropes were thrown in for fun here and there but not used as a fall back due to lack of writing skills. The relationships were written differently. All across the board; whether it be the family dynamics [which was particularly refreshing and endearing], how the love square was treated throughout and of course the main couple's budding love. There were a lot of genuinely funny moments. And again, the romance was portrayed slightly off from the normal..."Couple meets, don't like each other, they fight, there is sexual tension, love, trouble, noble idiocy, true love!" trajectory that most dramas follow.
A standout part of the plot for me: The friendship of the three women. I am speaking of how this drama decided to take a different tact with the female second lead, Na Yoon. They curled her into the already established friendship of the Myung Ran and Eun Seol and made her a part of them. And oddly, comically and rightly..she fit! It was charming. Rather than turn her into a clingy, clueless one dimensional bitch, they gave her character development. She had her own endearing quirks and she ended up being one of my favorites to watch. Show, I heart you for her! Thank you.
Don't let those few slower episodes in the latter half turn you off. This Drama has a lot of wonderful moments, great plot, story momentum, refreshing writing and acting to recommend it. Funny, Quirky, Sweet! Check it out!
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Enemies to lovers! Best drama in this trope for 2025 so far
Enemies to lovers genre is my favourite, this is how I stumbled upon this best new drama 2025. The moment I watched the first episode I was hooked and binged watched till 20th episode.I'm enthralled by this drama's undeniable captivating, engaging and intriguing story line. I'm thoroughly impressed by main actors' flawless and impeccable acting. I have always loved SZE's dramas, but in this drama my respect for her has sky rocketed. She has portrayed her character perfectly. Furthermore, I have watched some amazing dramas of LYN, but in this drama his acting has gotten better phenomenally. It's like this role was especially made for him. I adore their love and hate relationship.
I'm particularly impressed that the fl, QM is not at all a beauty in distress but instead an incredibly smart, wise, quick witted, sharp tongued, courageous, refined, elegant, poised and well educated diplomat who knows how to wade smoothly through political and personal trials and challenges while always keeping the safety, happiness and prosperity of the general people at the top of her priorities. She is prudent and resourceful, only plots and plans when required to protect her husband, family or country and for the people she cares about but knows when to give way and listen to advice. I'm surprised at her resilience even when she is treated unfairly she thinks logically not always emotionally to counter the challenges. She never takes any injustice lying down even when in disadvantageous position. Putting political life aside, she never slacks off in her duties to her family, her husband and her in laws. When realising where her heart lies, she is not afraid to wear it on her sleeves and even bravely pursue a person who she knows is wary of her for fair reasons and reluctant to accept her heart.
The ml is playing his role incredibly well too. WS is undefeated charming hero with years of expertise, wisdom and knowledge of how to run a country and conquer territories. He is smart, clever, brave, patriarchal, responsible leader and has flail piety yet he lacks emotional intelligence and deeper understanding of people's heart. He is plagued by revenge and blood thirst is embedded in him due to events that took in past. However, he is principled enough to learn to become more open minded, forgiving and soft hearted. He tries to learn to let go of grudges for greater good's sake and for his grand mother's sake. He wins every territory with his smart wits and courage but in contrast its super cute when he is unable to win against his wife's arguments, antics and runs away everytime. Its very satisfying how this tsundere man starts off completely rejecting her and insulting her due to his grudges and prejudice against the fl and her clan but slowly he sees and acknowledges all the great things about her. He learns to acknowledge her righteous heart and meticulous care for him and starts to give her benefit of a doubt in most perilous situations caused by outsiders or insiders intentionally or unintentionally. Understandably, he struggled to accept her heart and admit his own due to many personal and political reasons. His originally cold and hard heart melted in to warm, benevolent and magnanimous one influenced by fl who always flows like water.
The story is working very closely around "enemies to lovers" genre, both main leads were antagonistic initially due to significant conflicts imposed on them from past generations' problems and then developed a romantic relationship as they navigated their differences, insecurities and misconceptions. They found their shared goal, sometimes they were forced to cooperate with each other which led them to interact with each other then form trust and as they interacted, eventually they learned to overcome internal and external obstacles, which in turn led them to form deeper emotional connections and romantic feelings. I particularly love this trope because its known for its tension and attraction, we can see that the ml and fl are constantly battling their feelings and the external pressures against their relationship.
Unique to this story, every time the couple faced challenge/misunderstandings/unexpected trials they grew closer. Fortunately, both main leads had the decency to reflect on their mistakes, apologize wholeheartedly and mend their old ways to become a devoted, honest and sincere couple. Through arduous journey together, both learned that they have to act as one, be transparent to each other and be each others' confidant and protector to defeat the odds.
Side characters are doing excellent work in performing their roles to the highest of standards. They are very dynamic and have smooth chemistry with each other and the main characters. My personal favourites are the generals and the advisor. Its incredibly hilarious how ml casually decides to visit advisor's wife whenever he is trying to avoid his wife. Then comes the WLx XT couple who played vital part in bringing the main couple together. They are very cute and funny, there is never a dull moment with them around. WY's character development is beautifully executed, his character is very intriguing and amusing too. He starts off with very bad reputation and scheming behaviour and makes many mistakes. However, unlike the villains who arrogantly continued making wicked and selfish decisions, WY turned the tide by having remorse, correcting himself, valuing his family's love, sincerity and care for him then returning it ten fold with his talent, loyalty, courageous and selfless acts.
Overall I'm absolutely in love with this master piece. The OSTs, cinematography, settings and historical clothes are magnificent. I highly recommend this drama, every second of it is worth the watch. It has become one of my all time favourite dramas. I'm glad the main leads have got the ending they hard-earned. ☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆
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An Endearing, Funny, Sweet, Healing, Uplifting, Beautiful Story with a Bunch of Lovable Characters
I love this show so much for the positive, warm-hearted, funny, quirky vibe it gives every episode. Yet it's not an empty calorie show at all. It manages to balance hilarious comedy with touching, deep moments and inspirational life lessons. This show will make you laugh and cry - sometimes at the same time. Though there are sad, heartbreaking moments, this show always seems to exude a sense of optimism underneath it all. In this stressful world with so much violence and inhumanity; it's nice to be able to have this oasis of a show to turn to where you can watch lovable, quirky, well written and acted characters who warm your heart and tickle your funny bone every week. I am never bored by this show, and the hour always goes by so fast for me. I've re-watched each episode too many times already and still love it.This is a love story between two emotionally stunted 30-year-olds with the emotional maturity of 17-year-olds who help each to grow and mature into their chronological age of 30. The plot and the heart of this story is the emotional growth that each of the main characters has to go through to become who they were meant to be if not for the traumatic accident that essentially froze them emotionally in time. The life lessons from how to treat others who are struggling to how to overcome your fears, tragedies, and regrets to find the courage to live and love again are beautifully written and acted. I love that this story doesn't show this journey in a maudlin, boring fashion but does it with so much humor and heart.
Though there may seem like a few parts where things are not moving as fast as we the audience would like or then moving too fast because this show was scheduled to be 40 episodes, but SBS inexplicably cut it to 32 at the last minute out of nowhere despite it being the number one rated weekday prime time show and a hit internationally all through its run. Please trust that the writer and actors will make your journey with them worth it if you stick with this heartwarming and beautiful show to the end. Just enjoy the funny heartwarming moments for what they are. I gave this show a 10 not because it's perfect, SBS abruptly cutting the successful show caused some loose ends that would have been tied up if they had the time they were originally promised, but because it's the closest to the most perfect show I have ever watched in terms of all the elements I mention above and below. It's the only show were I have no major complaints about anything and I enjoy watching every character and every episode, even in re-watch. Plus the ending is one of the best and most satisfying endings I have ever seen. There are so few heartwarming, interesting shows where after you watch it, it restores your faith in humanity instead of making you question it.
The OTP's relationships take time to build, but once it "crescendo," their chemistry is in full bloom amazing mode. This will become one of the most beautiful love stories you'll ever see and I'm not just talking about the leads, but the entire cast. Both Shin Hye Sun and Yang Se Jong have amazing comic as well as emotional timing on top of being first rate, award-winning actors. They both have the ability to make the audience feel what their characters feel and elicit great empathy for their characters. Both can make you clutch your stomach in laughter and your heart in tears, and their love story will make you feel like butterflies live in your chest. They're such great actors that they can have an amazing love story with a broom much less with each other. The rest of the cast is also amazing; there isn't one weak link in this cast. Even the dog is a better actor than half of the human actors out there.
Very rarely can I say with certainty that you'll love a show because so rarely is there a magical coming together of great writing, acting, plot, comedic timing, directing, lovable main to supporting characters, location (even their house is full of character), and music in one show. Even if you like nothing else, the dog is worth the watch alone. I've never seen a show where I love each episode and don't forward through any part. The only disappointment I feel is when it ends. Of course we are all human and all will have different opinions on everything, but I think the majority of the people who give this show a try will find that they don't just like it, but will love it and it will become one of their favorite shows of all time or at the very least of 2018. It's one of the best feel good shows I've ever seen. You'll want to tell everyone you know about it and watch this show again and again.
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This review may contain spoilers
HiraKiyo Eternal !!!
For disclaimers, I am not a fluent Japanese speaker, but simply someone who understands a level of Japanese to understand the context and translate contents sometimes, so I might have gotten some details slightly wrong. I fell in love with Season 1 first after it aired, and went on to listen to the drama CDs.The movie essentially focuses on 3 conflicts. One, HiraKiyo has to go apartment hunting after Naho and Tomoya prepare to move back to the house the couple is currently staying in. Two, Hira prepares to graduate from university and enter the adult world. He's chasing after Kiyoi who seems to be walking a step ahead by starting work earlier, and loses his confidence to shoot Kiyoi beautifully after seeing Noguchi's work. Third, Anna and Kiriya's story, which Kiyoi finds himself tied up in. This movie overall, focuses on Hira's growth as a character.
HiraKiyo does feel more like a couple who has dated for a while here, compared to Season 2, from their domestic acts to ways of showing affection. HiraKiyo has learnt from their past in the previous two drama series and have grown a lot in terms of intimacy. Kiyoi is a lot more direct with his affection and doesn't hide behind his tsundere ways, and Hira takes a bit more initiative this time. Hira does still idolise Kiyoi by calling him a "king" and himself a "fan", but the "God" nickname and treatment (in the extreme end at least) has stopped. I do think that compared to the drama seasons, there's nothing people will be able to call "toxic" and in a sense, I think they are turning into a more "normal" couple (or as normal as they can be with HiraKiyo lol) like what Kiyoi wants without Hira's extreme worship and Kiyoi's tsundere manners.
Noguchi was definitely the MVP here. He's the only one apart from Kiyoi who really understands Hira, so he's the only one to truly get through Hira's brain and see through what Hira is trying to deny. It's because of him that Hira can grow as a character. I think most of the important scenes with him were kept so everyone can also feel how important he is when they watch the movie. Also just a note for the Koyama fans who didn't read the original work, he only has two relatively quick scenes.
I absolutely loved how the soundtracks and flashbacks to Season 1 and 2 were used throughout. They're both effective in bringing nostalgia to fans of the drama series, as well as to provide context for those who only watched the movie. The soundtracks, paired with the beautiful cinematography, gives you goosebumps no matter what scene it is. Bitter was also unexpectedly used in the climatic scene, which I think was really smart of the crew, considering how well the lyrics and Hira's emotions there paired together. My favourite soundtrack of the movie would be "Time to Forget Myself" (恍惚の時間), as it's used in a particularly gorgeous and touching scene (both in terms of the movie and behind the camera since Riku is the one holding the camera there) with little words.
Considering how the movie was 103mins long, I think they managed to include all the important scenes from Nikurashii Kare, rearrange the scenes and make everything flow well. Having known the novel plot, I do think there were some scenes I would have liked to see in the movie or preferred the novel version, but watching the movie as it is was amazing nonetheless. I'm also glad they scrapped certain parts from the novel and rewrote it. Something I want to point out though, is that I feel fans of the original work should probably try to judge the movie as a separate entity rather than compare it to the original novel.
The side characters (notably Anna and Shitara) and Kiyoi's own more minor storyline (since the main focus in the book for Hira's) as an actor were definitely more developed in the novel, but having their scenes cut didn't really make anything feel like it was 'lacking' while watching, at least to me. Such scenes would perhaps have added more depth, but I do think, after all, there's only so much you can squeeze into less than 2 hours of a film, compared to a whole novel. So, I would think it's more important to focus on HiraKiyo as a relationship during that limited duration.
In terms of acting, I've always thought Riku and Yusei were impressive as actors but they genuinely outdid themselves here. Their chemistry has always been amazing, for if you know these two outside of Utsukushii Kare at all, you'll know they're extremely close friends as well. Both of their facial expressions just screams HiraKiyo's love for each other while somehow still showing its subtle complexities. Their range of emotions, with Riku showing Hira's devotion, insecurities, possessiveness, etc and Yusei showing Kiyoi's "ore-sama" side, adoration, hurt, etc, is just insane. There have been multiple directors going to watch the movie, so I do hope they take a liking on RikuYuse's chemistry and acting skills, and somehow pair them up again in a vastly different show. I would love to see them co-star again, as the two have also mentioned wanting as well.
Of course, the supporting actors were amazing too. I especially wanted to point out Nimura Sawa and Ochiai Motoki's facial expressions and the way they delivered their lines. I can't point out which scenes in particular made me feel this in particular without giving out major spoilers, but they were absolutely great. The entire casting was perfect. I wouldn't be able to imagine anyone else in the current roles they're playing.
The movie, like what I believe many Utsukare fans feel for Season 1 and Season 2, is very rewatchable. Heck, if a fan can go to the cinema and watch the movie 53 times within 2 weeks of the movie showing, I don't see how it's not rewatchable. The staff put in so much thought into each design, be it regarding the set, costume or story (e.g. https://bit.ly/3qMBLeT), and the actors outdid themselves in playing their characters as well as they did. There's just so many little details to catch, from both the background in each scene, to the acting and story.
My bit of criticism though (even though it didn't really affect my experience with the movie), is that I wish that they could have shown how they resolved the conflict better. To me, it just felt like after the incident with Shitara, everything was just resolved? I didn't expect the Hira's confidence issue to necessarily be fixed, since that is who he is, but it did feel like a spur of the moment thing, both when he promised to stay by Kiyoi's side because of the impact of the incident on HiraKiyo, and when he took Kiyoi's pictures. I guess they could have talked it out after Hira returned home like they had planned to before Shitara happened, but it's never shown so it's kind of left as a '?' for me. I don't really remember whether the self-confidence part was in the novel, so this could either be me criticising the novel and the movie adapting it as it is, or the movie itself.
Still, it's also because of this that I want to see more from Utsukare. The movie ending was good, but there's still slightly more content I want to see, notably Kiyoi releasing a photobook with Hira's name on it beside his as his photographer, and Kiyoi's growth as an actor. I don't really expect a new drama series season (despite how welcome that would be) nor having Nayamashii Kare adapted as well (which would be especially hard to adapt knowing the main plot), but a drama special would be nice...
What I can conclude though is, if you love HiraKiyo solely because they are HiraKiyo, you'd absolutely love the movie. Or even if you don't know HiraKiyo at all, this will be a lovely story to witness of two people who are so different, but somehow love and understand each other better than anyone else and will always return to each other.
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NETFLIX, GIVE US SEASON2 NOW!!!
Ok let me get this out of the way, it is obvious or at least im hoping that they intended to make this a multi-season show just like the other Netflix exclusive Kdramas - Kingdom, Love Alarm and My Frist Love, so please Netflix give them to us NOW.Now that im done ranting, lets get to the good parts:
1. Cast and characters. I love the leads, and the other characters, and the way they are developed. There was enough mystery with each of them to keep me wanting to see more. Plus, Im not going to lie i came for NJH.
2. The story. Refreshing take on the monster-ghost- good versus evil story. Have you ever seen any other show where ghosts turns into jellies? I bet not. If you have, tell me, i want to watch it too.
3. Good special effects.
The problems:
1. They ended season 1 without properly explaning what happened in the finale. One moment they were building the story to reach the climax and then poof, its finished, just like that. What happened to that giant jelly?
2. I have to wait for Netflix to when or if they want to release the second season, do you know hard that can be?
So again, heres one begging Netflix to give us the next installment. Rewatchability is an 8 just because NJH is here. However if youre the type who likes to binge watch a series because you hate cliffhangers, i suggest to just wait a little (maybe a year or so) until we have the second season.
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When Perseverance, Confidence, and Strong-Will Work Together
"As long as I'm working as an editor, I will never give up on any author. That's why I became an editor in the first place." -Chu LiThis quote? Chu Li, the female lead, who is also an amazing editor, said it. I admit I was a little reluctant to start Moonlight, as I was watching other airing rom-coms. But I don't regret my decision at all, because it has just joined my favorites list. I was expecting a cute and fluffy rom-com, but not only is Moonlight cute, but it is so inspirational as well.
Moonlight is a unique rom-com. It's not a love story that takes place in high school or even college. It takes place in work, but it's not exactly an office romance-comedy. It's a cute romance between an editor and an author. Moonlight has made me think more about the powerhouse behind an author's success: The editor. From this drama, I've learned that editors contribute more to a book's success more than most of us think, and even if these characters aren't real editors, authors, and publishers. they've certainly shown us the hard work and perseverance needed to be one.
Story-9.0
As this was an airing rom-com, I was scared as to what would happen in the later episodes, because as we experienced Asian drama watchers know, a drama's later episodes can go downhill sometimes. With this doubt, I continued to watch this fluffy drama, and it did not disappoint. When you're watching Moonlight, say goodbye to the stupid misunderstandings and "I'm doing this for your own good" breakups, because there aren't any! We all love relationships with trust and encourage and love and nothing more, don't we? There are jealous scenes, yes, but when it comes to trust, Zhou Chuan and Chu Li is our model couple! They trust each other no matter what, and help each other on their editing and writing journeys.
Why do I keep on mentioning trust? Well, another female is introduced around episode 30 or so. I was totally unprepared for her, and was terrified that she would cause a huge misunderstanding or breakup, but our strong leads were mentally prepared! 500 second female leads could've stormed in and our couple would probably be left unharmed. Perhaps a tiny bit of suspicion, but nothing more than that. The second female lead was a bit unnecessary, but I like how she found her closure at the end. She deserved hate, yes, but also deserved some understanding.
On the surface, Moonlight is an ordinary rom-com, with a few cliches: Cohabitation, a little bit of Hate-to-Love, Male Chases Female First, but these cliches are used in such a cute manner that this drama was an absolute gem of a rom-com. We do have the online and offline connection, as Chu Li and Zhou Chuan didn't know that they were online friends at first, but the trope wasn't boring at all. Not to mention all the lovable side characters, who never stopped teaching the audience life lessons. If there were two things that Moonlight showed me the most importance of, they would be the importance of mutual trust in a couple and the importance of seeking help from the people around you. It's great to be an independent person, but we all need some help sometimes.
As I said before, I really liked the new environment in this drama. Moonlight was adapted by the Chinese novel "Chu Li is Coming", so most of the story can be owed to the author, but it was refreshing to see a Chinese rom-com set in a different setting. This time, in a publishing house. Chu Li starts off as an intern in the editor branch, but through her hard work through the long nights and many troubles, she proved to everyone just how good of an editor she could be.
The antagonist of this drama shows real life so accurately. Sometimes, jealousy can be dangerous, both to the person we target and ourselves. We shouldn't allow jealousy to overcome us, and take it slowly. This drama also showed the different kind of relationships during work, from friendships to almost-enemies. These relationships are all normal, but we should learn to control these relationships well to not learn these overly take control of our jobs.
Cast-10.0
I'm just going to talk about the dubbing first. Some people had issue with the female lead's voice: Chu Li's voice is dubbed by the actress of the character herself, Yu Shuxin (Esther). Yes, her voice is very high, but that's what I love about Chu Li. She is a perfect example of a bubbly but hard-working girl! Ding Yuxi (Ryan) isn't dubbed either, so you're getting the leads' real voices! I've heard some small complaints about Esther's voice, but I had no problem with it at all.
Back to the cast. No better actor and actress could have been chosen for Zhou Chuan and Chu Li. Ryan Ding gives off that seemingly-cold-at-first-but-actually-cuter-than-a-bunny vibe so well. I did not want another ignorant cold male lead, and Zhou Chuan satisfied my needs. He might be a little cold to total strangers, but he knows when to be polite and when to be cute! From the earliest episodes, I had already decided that he was going to be one of my favorite male leads. Zhou Chuan is a successful author, but there is a rocky path before success. With his perseverance and the encouragement of his family and friends, he made it to the peak of the mountain.
I would not have chosen another actress for Chu Li even if the director gave me a chance. Esther Yu as Chu Li is perfect! She is a real cutie pie in real life, with her kindness, generosity and intelligence, which is why Chu Li was acted so well. You could say that Chu Li is almost an exact version to Esther but in another universe. Chu Li is cute and bouncy, but she is (thankfully), a real strong female lead as well. This tag has been thrown around a lot these days, but you have my word that Chu Li is actually strong. When something seemingly fails, she never gives up, but only stands up from the place she fell down and tries again. And just like Zhou Chuan, her perseverance led to success that no one in her publishing house expected from her.
I loved the second couple as well. I don't tend to smile like a donkey when it comes to second couples, but I did for Jiang Yucheng and Gu Baizhi. They did have some on-and-off moments, but they never stopped loving each other even when they thought they didn't. Sometimes, jobs can be hard, but when you manage to balance them with your lover, you will get the perfect combination. I also like how this couple was a little older than our lead couple, giving us a different perspective of love and jobs. (both couples had to overcome difficulties and such, but their journeys were a little different)
And the supporting characters were real concoctions of happiness and frustration as well, depicting different kinds of people in our lives so well. There are supporting co-workers, as well as jealous ones, bosses who believe in us, and family and friends that will always be there for you. No, while Moonlight mainly focuses on Zhou Chuan and Chu Li's love story, it shows the importance of friends and family as well.
Music-8.5
Moonlight doesn't have many songs, but they songs it has are upbeat and cute. Both leads contributed to the ost; Esther Yu, a member of the girl group The9, sang "Chu Li is Coming", which is the ending song and is very cute. I didn't know that Ryan Ding sang songs for his dramas, but his "Heartless Poems" was very well-sung and upbeat. There were a few other songs as well, "Niu Niu" by Shuang Sheng, and another specially used for the second couple scenes.
Rewatch Value-9.0
I don't tend to rewatch dramas, but I am sure that I will rewatch certain episodes of Moonlight in the future, if not all! This journey has been so inspirational and it never hurts to take a look back at your favorite characters once in a while.
Overall-9.5
As a person who has watched almost 40 Chinese rom-coms, I would recommend Moonlight for people looking for a fluffy drama in a heartbeat. With two cute couples, no stupid misunderstandings, and such inspirational stories, this rom-com should not be missed! (Not to mention the extra cute and satisfying ending!) We can't be successful in a flash. Success takes years of dedication and confidence in yourself. These characters failed countless times, but what made them succeed at the very end? It comes down to these things: Perseverance, confidence and encouragement from others. And that, my friends, is how an amazing Chinese romance-comedy is made. Enjoy Moonlight!
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A complete rom-com fit for 2023.
This is my first time reviewing a series on MDL and I start now because I just really felt the need to tell people how great I found this series. I have marked it spoiler as a precaution because I might end up spoiling unknowingly.This kdrama's ensemble of characters looks like this - an independent and confident female lead, an open and understanding male lead, a very fine second male lead who is the best bro a man could have, and a very caring and supportive second female lead who is just a tad bit self-doubting.
The story has everything from hilarious little bits, to toe-curling scenes, moments of hate and moments of understanding alike. A little thing to dislike is the pacing in the very last 2 episodes BUT I entered watching this knowing the pacing might suffer due to the short length of the series and it'd be wise of everyone else to do so too. Because otherwise the show's storyline, plot points everything was on point.
My very favourite part about the series is that the female lead has not been shown as a troubled damsel of any sorts, neither has she been forcibly empowered. She is a hard-worker and good at her job. And she lives her life as she wants without much concern for judgement of others.
The male lead is wary of women for he has only ever met the manipulative ones, but after meeting the female lead, he starts understanding her and liking her for exactly who she is. And THE VERY MOST IMPORTANT THING is that he RESPECTS her. Which is perfect because for the female lead hearing 'I respect you' is more important than hearing 'I love you.'
And I feel this year in 2023 I think we should strive for this sort of kdrama, one which emphasizes on the mutual respect required in a relationship. Because we have seen enough love, hate, hate-to-love, but all of that is useless when there is no respect in the foundation of the relationship.
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Sweet cute and I appreciate the continued efforts!!!
Hello! I rarely review but need to remind the viewers to think like a business. We are getting a lot more lgbt content in recent years. The veteran actors, writers, directors and producers spent decades to get us to this point. This point? YES we get films, big production series, dating shows, gay couples on major Korean magazine covers AND we get multiple small studios crowd sourced for cute stories to film in a week and bring it to us. Please do not forget! I am grateful and appreciative.Please appreciate the small stuff too.
We would read this manga and be super happy. Someone spent the money to give us some visual with cute story.
I appreciate them. I appreciate how hard it was to get to this point. I look forward to the future.
The boys did a good job. They were pleasant to watch.
For me the actor playing the chef is damn gorgeous! Phew
Sure if you peel back his actions it may seem stalkerish lol but because it goes so fast he is honest immediately and it's all good. Real life gay is hard anywhere and this showed four different types of men (in one episode) and how they handle things. Was cool.
What I loved is this series is set in a gay friendly world. There was no mention or hesitation of being gay. No fear. Thai BL started doing that too and I am happy with this turn.
Anyway it is very fast, it's cute and worth our stream on legal iQIYI site.
Enjoy and if you can leave a comment for each actor. The actors (mainly Koreans) come to mdl and read our stuff!
Thanks!
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This review may contain spoilers
The film which catapulted little known Lee Jun Ki into instant stardom all over Asia. Yes I admit quite candidly that I watched this movie for my recently found Jun Ki mania but I'm going to remember this movie for the masterpiece it is rather than just a random K-movie featuring LJK. The controversy regarding the racy humor used throughout the movie notwithstanding, the movie is a fine portrayal of love, friendship and betrayal. It is heart-warming to see the effeminate Gong Gil and the heroic Jang Seng's relationship, which was most certainly much more than just friendship. At the height of utter despair and chaos in their lives, when they flee from the countryside in the hopes of a better life in Seoul, the way they act out the parts of two blind men in the middle of nowhere is a treat to watch. That is perhaps the most poignant scene from the film barring the one at the very end. There's a puzzle in the title of the movie since it leaves you in doubt about who the real king is. In my opinion it's Jang Seng rather than the tyrannical, literal king since he desires to be a commoner even in his next life and chooses the right to live on his own terms rather than living a life of luxury whose terms will be dictated by others. He is the real king of the movie. The actors have portrayed their parts to perfection. Jeong Jin Yeong has done especially well in conveying the inner turmoil the King suffered from, his eccentricities and frequent displays of mindless cruelty. Excellent acting by Kam Woo Sung as well. And last but not the least, LJK proves in this movie that he IS after all an actor and not just a great looker. I think it will be hard for even a straight guy to resist his charms after watching this movie.
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THIS IS A MASTERPIECE!!
Story - For those who love the novel and dissapointed because there's no BL in this, DON'T WORRY!! The bromance is wonderful and will make you can't stop smiling. The story is rather faithful to the novel (not exactly the same tho).. they adapted many sweet scenes of LWJ and WWX.. (Trust me, they adapted almost everything except the confession scene and steamy scenes). For the additional plots, I don't have any problem with them.. it doesn't really change anything (maybe only more screentimes for minor characters like Wen Qing and Jiang Yanli).. And I think they add a new character, Xue Chonghai, to smooth the story.. It was a big question in the novel HOW DID WWX LEARN DEMON CULTIVATION? And the story about Xue Chonghai is to answer the question..This drama really has exceed everyone's expectations.. like, at first, in China, many the original novel fans can't accept the show (because there's no BL or Xiao Zhan & Wang Yibo don't have WWX & LWJ's charm, etc) and so The Untamed only got a low rating (4.8 in douban) but it keeps on increasing after the show airing.. now it has reached 8.0!! I think it proves the beauty of this show..
Acting/Cast - Both Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo did a great job in this drama!! At first, I though Xiao Zhan wouldn't suit WWX since he doesn't look like someone who talks a lot.. but I WAS WRONG.. WWX IS MADE FOR XIAO ZHAN!! And for Wang Yibo.. there're not many expressions shown by Lan Wangji here.. but I think Wang Yibo did a great job showing a cool but caring Lan Wangji~ >< The other supporting actors are new but really did a great job.. especially Yu Bin who played our little angel, Wen Ning~ like when he was stabbed, I can feel his pain too ugh.. ToT
Music - This drama has a set of beautiful songs.. the ending song, Wu Ji, sung by Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo and Yi Nan Ping are my favs.. Yi Nan Ping is a theme song for A Xian, A Cheng, and A Li.. the lyrics is so heartwrenching (I almost cried when the song was played).. and there are character songs too.. like Bu Wang sung by Wang Yibo for Lan Wangji's character song, Qu Jin Chen Qing by Xiao Zhan for Wei Wuxian's, Chi Zi by Yu Bin for Wen Ning's, Bu You by Liu Haikuan for Lan Xichen's, etc.. all of them have beautiful lyrics that tell the story of each characters.. MY EARS ARE BLESSED!!
Rewatch Value - DEFINITELY!! I can rewatch this wonderful drama again and again..
Overall - A must watch drama!! There is a complete set of genre inside.. comedy, mystery, friendship, family, romance.. >///<
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This review may contain spoilers
An uncommonly, almost tenderly told revenge story
"Call it Love" begins with a quote from a writer about love, followed by a voiceover radio announcer's summary: "To understand the loneliness of others, for me, that's the beginning of love." Beautiful, sensitive words... and at the same time: the grounding of this KDrama.There are so many lonely people out there (even if that doesn't necessarily mean they're alone). There are also those who recognize the other in their loneliness. Love in different facets swings back and forth between each episode - quietly, tenderly, unspoken, then also outspoken, sometimes here, sometimes there. In the case of Shim Woo-joo and Han Dong-jin, despite barriers love like determined water finds its way.
The KDrama offers no ´boom-squish´, no spectacle, yet slow food for the heart. So slow, that it almost touches the edge of the bearable at times. Watching the two protagonists moving through scenes is almost like in slow motion. The facial features are minimal, too. However, it´s nevertheless expressive and intense. Tender emotions are held back, an the next moment some razor-sharp thoughts are communicated without hesitation – Woo-joo is good at that. She embodies a sharp mix of disinterest and impulsiveness. Dong-jin, for his part, is the master of outward indifference and equanimity, enduring life´s challenges quietly and good-naturedly – almost stoically. But both are basically victims of their learned helplessness and of being overwhelmed with their extremely ambivalent feelings towards their own parents. ´She´ is still bitter because of her cheating father, who left the family for another woman. His burden is his exalted mother, who notoriously charms other people's husbands and lives a ´good life´ at their expense, with her son being in the way and left with the father.
A web of loving people are surrounding both Woo-joo and Dong-jin. So, even if they may feel alone with their feelings, they really aren't. Woo-joo's friend, the pharmacist Yoon-jun, feels a lot more for Woo-joo. Dong-jin's school friend and business partner knows his buddy like the back of his hand. Then there's Woo-joo's sister, who for her part is struggling with dating and finally just discovers her feelings for Yoon-jun. And suddenly Dong-jin's ex-fiancé is back, who left him without a word a year ago, went to the USA and is now suddenly back, being ready for the next step. ... Somehow everyone seems a bit lost and sometimes awkward in their emotional life, as well as in their (traditional) family liabilities. They might feel lonely. But they are actually not alone.
Technically speaking, the plot aims for something completely different than romantic love: revenge is the driving force of the story. There's Woo-joo on her vendetta against the woman who stole her father and secured the house as an inheritance – with the vendetta actually targeting the son, Dong-jin. Then there is Dong-jin's former boss, who wants revenge for Dong-jin resigning along with his childhood friend from school to start a rival business. And there's the age-old dynamic between Woo-joo's mother and her rival who stole her husband years ago...
Somehow like balm: here the revenge motive can't prevail in the end. Rather, a gentle template of compassion and forgiveness settles over resentment and bitterness. Like a silk scarf, this compassion covers the wounds and thus changes, rather widens, the perspective. "To understand the loneliness of others, for me that is the beginning of love." In the end the truth of these words is revolving about much more than 'just' romantic love – the heart empathically banging on another one´s wall, makes the wall come down and healing become possible.
Gaze, movement as well as camera angles are chosen with care. Like that more than once time is frozen, sort of. Often enough, this KDrama is deliberately so slow that you might want to give the protagonists a nudge here and there. Paradoxically, this perceived standstill envelops the actually quite dynamic story, which gains its drive from the revenge motive and knows very well how to come up with tension, too. This idiosyncratic mixture of dramatic events and moments of standstill, of revenge and honest love, results in a very unique, ambivalent, subtly burned-in dynamic and elusive fascination for this KDrama. Cupid interjects encouragingly and does it well. Actors and actresses also successfully correspond with authentic emotion.
Ultimately, an uncommonly, almost tenderly told revenge story.
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I haven’t seen this much heart in a drama before. It’s beautiful and melancholic. Serene and hopeful. And ultimately: very important.
The drama has a reputation for being an easy, fluffy, heartwarming watch however that’s just one element of it. Prison playbook, in its core is a show about a couple of men in a bad place, who’ve done bad things but have good hearts. It’s about finding purity in the most unfortunate circumstances and seeking warmth in a cold, hopeless time.
There are some hauntingly dark and jarring moments but the beauty of the show is such that it overcomes its darkness with a good dose of laughter and love. There will be times when you have to pause the screen to let out a jolly good cackle and times when you can’t stop the tears because you’re so overcome by feeling.
All the characters are fully baked and beautifully developed, so much so, that you’ll find yourself forming a personal connection with each and every one of them. The story flows smoothly with "almost" no plot-holes and the writing is exceptional, giving attention to detail and a tight plot. Each episode plays with a range of emotions with never a boring moment. It’s far from a tension drama and develops very slowly, yet it managed to hook me in a way that I binged it as fast as I would do any crime-thriller.
The OST is perfect. The screenplay is immaculate. The acting is top-notch. Kim Hae Soo plays one of the best male leads in a drama in a way so natural and effortless that you can’t help but adore him.
The drama gives birth to one of the most iconic bromances in K-Drama history. There’s real brotherhood and friendship here. The relationships between characters are incredibly fleshed out and the side of romance is also well-done.
So over-all, Prison Playbook is an excellent show. The only reason I didn’t give it a perfect score was because I had mixed feelings about the last couple of episodes. The fact that some of the characters that I had grown very attached to were given a somewhat realistic but quite unsatisfactory and abrupt open end, while other characters were given an almost ideal personality change and happy ending made me raise eyebrows. This contradiction made me wish that there was an additional episode that gave much needed closure to some aspects of the show and closed the story cleanly. However, in the grand scheme of things this could easily be overlooked.
Filled with sugar, spice and life- Prison Playbook is definitely one of the best dramas out there.
Enjoy!
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Story:
The story is well developed but a bit rushed since this is quite short for a movie. There are several things I could see being fleshed out better with more time, but they use the time they have well. I'd give a summary, but I probably would end up spoiling something.
Acting/Cast:
Alright, this is my favorite part. There were three scenes I watched maybe thirty times each because of how raw and real the acting was. The cast knows what they're doing. The gang boss we see the most of frequently over acts and it threw me off at first until, after a few more interactions, I realized his personality was extra, not his acting. Chisoo, our protagonist, almost pushed me to the brink of tears and I have literally never cried over a movie. The combo of Chisoo and Gitae and all the emotion the shoved into every scene didn't bother pushing me; it punted me past the sun and directly into a galaxy of ugly sobbing. And I was damn glad for it. Okay, let me not get to into this, the short version is simple: the acting is amazing. The cast is amazing.
Music:
If you watch this movie and happen to notice the music, I don't think you're watching hard enough. It took a couple run-throughs before my brain could focus on anything but the immediate action. The music that I did hear and process was good, more so because it fit and blended into scenes instead of snatching me out of them.
Rewatch Value:
I rewatch no movies. Ever. I just don't have the attention span, especially if I already know what happens. That said, I have watched this movie three times in as many days and I'm not bored yet. In fact, every time I watch it again, I have a bit more fun (and bemoan how short it is a little harder).
Overall:
Watch this movie. Watch this movie because there is absolutely something in it that will make it a favorite of yours. I was wary at first, but it was 100% worth my money and I'd pay for it again even. The happy ending is just a bonus, because this would be my review even if it was a tragedy.
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First, It's not a spoiler to say that this is indeed a Romance-Tragedy. It is inspired by the true story of Queen Dangyeong, who we know from the title, was only Queen for a week. If the title isn't enough to clue you in on what's in store, the show starts by glimpsing into the future, and we see a not so happily ever after moment where she tries to kill her love, the king, but can't. This was the same flash forward method that grabbed my attention in Empress Ki, and I knew that I would need to know exactly what road led them there. That road is not just filled with tragic moments. We actually go all the way back to childhood with the characters, and the journey to the end is more than just tears. There's humor, great friendships, some action, and of course romance, and what I thought was an interesting story of 3 people who's lives are controlled by their fate, in spite of their feelings.
I think Yeon Woo Jin was amazing as future king Yi Yeok. I've liked him in other dramas, but this one is a perfect vehicle for his range. He's matched with Park Min Young as Shin Chae Kyung, who I can say the same about. I think, because their child versions were so good, it gave them a lot to work with as far as backstory, and I truly believed all of their moments together. They may not have the most exciting chemistry, but that didn't stop me from liking them as a couple. The triangle is then made complete by Lee Dong Gun as Yi Yoong. I think his character, and acting, drives this whole drama. He also reminded me A LOT of a young Christopher Walken, and not just because of his big eyes. He has a charm and creepiness about him that made him the kind of villain I not only sympathized with, but sometimes rooted for in spite of myself. Even in his most over the top moments I totally felt for him. I really am a sucker for an actor who's really good at playing evil or crazy or both.
Most of the story revolves around the rivalry between these two brother for the crown, and their love of the same girl, but it still didn't feel too cliché to me. I think it's because every single character in this story, meaning every single supporting character, are so developed and well played, that it gave extra depth to the story and made me care about everyone... EVERYONE... even the Nanny. I would usually give a shout out to awesome supporting characters but there are just too many to name! I also loved that most characters, even if they were minor, had some kind of attention given to their specific part in the story, and some very emotional endings for their characters.
Ok, I will mention just one... Hwang Chan Sung as Seo Noh. *insert my standing ovation here*
As for the story, for me it just kept getting more exciting and addictive as the show progressed. The moments that may have felt slower were more of a build up to more exciting parts. Waiting for new episodes started to feel a little like torture, but sometimes I needed that week to breathe between episodes because the story got so intense. Sometimes characters were frustrating, but I think that's what added to them feeling human. Sometimes the political storyline was upsetting, but because it tied directly to these amazing characters, it kept my interest till the very end. The ending had a lot to live up to, and I think it was well done. I suffered from severe eye rain during the second half of the last episode, but the ending avoided just being completely depressing, which I think is impressive.
The music is beautiful and compliments this drama very well, and Junggigo's song will be on mental loop for a while.
Would I watch it again? Absolutely. I would probably need to watch a few light hearted shows in a row first, but sometimes you need a story that gets you in the feels too. I would just stock pile some tissues.
Overall I would definitely recommend this, BUT if you are not a fan of extreme drama then this may be too much. If you have never liked a sageuk ever, know this is more of the same, so don't expect this one to convert you. If you don't like stubborn characters who make you want to throw things at your screen, you definitely picked the wrong drama. Personally, I think it was beautifully bittersweet, and I I already added it to my favorites list before I even finished it.
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This review may contain spoilers
One of my favourite movies of 2023!
I usually don't write reviews, but for this one, I couldn't resist!I went to watch this at the Japanese film festival in Toronto a couple of weeks ago, and I was very pleasantly surprised! As a fan of Snow Man and Meguro Ren, my expectations were honestly pretty high. Because of this, I was preparing myself to be a bit let down, but somehow, he's done it again!
STORY:
As soon as the movie was announced, I immediately went to read the manga. Seeing as the manga isn't completed yet, the movie did a great job with pacing and making sure the ending was both satisfying, yet ambiguous. They had to cut out a couple of details, such as Kaya's husband having feelings for Miyo and vice versa, but it didn't really hinder the story much, so I don't really mind it.
Throughout the movie, Kiyoka and Miyo have some really cute moments with each other, with patient Kiyoka slowly encouraging Miyo to come out of her shell, and Miyo learning to express herself. One of the best scenes in the movie is when Miyo was kidnapped and being tortured to give up Kiyoka; refusing to do so, and Kiyoka literally BURNING DOWN THE ENTIRE ESTATE TO FIND HER. It really shows how much their relationship developed. And although there wasn't a dramatic "I love you" confession scene, or a kiss, this is one of the rare times that I thought it wasn't necessary. While you could tell that the main genre wasn't romance, the movie did a good job balancing it with the action and historical elements.
If I had to have one "complaint", I would have enjoyed this as a drama! There is so much lore and questions left unanswered that a 12-16 episode drama would definitely have me hooked.
ACTING/CAST:
Since fantasy was a first for Meme, I was curious as to how he'd do. The result? Honestly, pretty good! He seemed to have completely immersed himself in the role, and he managed to play the cold but secretly warm-hearted Kiyoka pretty well! Seeing that the manga version of Kiyoka had more delicate and soft features, I was worried that the movie version would not provide that big of a "gap moe". Again, I was thankfully proven very wrong.
I was familiar with Imada Mio from Hana Nochi Hare, but that's about it. She definitely had a BIG transformation in both character and style from that drama to this, and it definitely shows her range as an actress. She looked really cute in the traditional clothing, and I found myself really believing she was Miyo, rather than an actress playing her.
MUSIC: (may be biased)
Having listened to Tapestry by Snow Man beforehand, I thought it was a great match for the overall "feel" of the movie. Unfortunately, it only played at the very end of the movie, but I was still very excited to hear Snow Man playing at an actual theatre in Canada for the first time. The other soundtracks for the movie were all fine for me; no complaints here.
REWATCH VALUE:
Yes. Just a yes. If a sequel does come out, you'll definitely catch me watching this again in preparation for it. Here's to hoping more Japanese films play internationally!
OVERALL: 9.8/10
TL;DR: Whether you know of Imada Mio and/or Meguro Ren or not, I whole-heartedly recommend you check this out. You won't regret it.
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