Reviews

Is this a series made to cure BL addiction?

It is already common enough for BLs to suffer from the problem of character overload, but at least sometimes the part for the main couple is done well or there is enough cuteness and sweetness in the side couples to make us overlook the flaws. In Love Area Part 2, however, the part for the main couple (actually the other parts as well) is botched up so badly that it has got to be the work of some evil genius. It definitely takes talent to be able to screw things up this badly with the material started in Part 1.

I recall Part 1 being quite bearable despite its flaws like random digressions to side stories that lack development. But at least we see in Part 1 the conflict between Valen and Kaitoon at the start and how their relationship changes over time, and the promise of a romance between them at the end. Part 1 seems to be going somewhere. I was hoping that Part 2 would avoid the flaws of Part 1. However, the flaws are accumulated and magnified instead.

In Part 2, there are even more barely related characters; love triangles become squares or some other polygon. The worst part of the story is the "development" of the relationship between Valen and Kaitoon. They become a couple and enjoy some sweet moments, but there really isn't much of a story to speak of here. Perhaps to add spice to the thing that isn't much of a story, the evil genius lurking around decided that the love triangle with Valen, Kaitoon and Non (someone with a crush on Kaitoon) should be turned into some bizarre love polygon. So while Valen is in love with Kaitoon and getting jealous of Non for childish reasons, he inexplicably also gives some girl flowers, behaving like a shy teen with a crush. (Huh?)

But of course that is not enough "conflict" for the evil genius hiding in the production team. There must be a misunderstanding between Valen and Kaitoon that leads to a break-up before the series ends, right? This is predictable fare except that the evil genius makes Valen's behavior totally illogical. Valen sees Kaitoon's group mate (Sean) being a third party in King and Pete's relationship (King is Valen's friend) and somehow assumes that Kaitoon is in cahoots with his group mate to give Pete a chance to cheat on King. (HUH?)

Speaking of King and Pete, Pete's behavior is about as absurd as it can possibly get. First, his jealousy when he sees King with another guy is practically at psychopathic levels, suggesting an unhealthy obsessiveness. Next, his claim that he has suddenly disappeared and left King suddenly (Part 1) because of his struggles with depression is exposed to be bogus. Even by the end of the series, the reason he has simply disappeared is unknown, just like his reasons for suddenly wanting to make up with King again. Yes, he has been in a relationship with another guy during the disappearance, but is this other guy the reason for his disappearance? Couldn't he have simply broken up with King if he had fallen in love with someone else? And if he is such a jerk, why does he seem genuinely sorry for what he has done?

And, trust me, there is more in all the main characters' behaviors in Episode 7 that will leave you stupefied--if you don't fall asleep watching scenes that look like some advertisement for a tour or the work of a travel vlogger. (They are actually visually appealing but not exactly interesting.) I don't have the ability to describe the mess without using a few hundred words more, and I'm just too lazy to do it.

There is also the addition of at least two more love triangles just so that the scenes can jump purposelessly from one love polygon to another and alienate viewers. The introduction of June, Bill and Sonya into the series appears to be devoid of purpose. (And also: more illogical behavior thrown in.) Then there is also a (straight) love triangle involving Valen's sister that gets added in without development or resolution because -- why not? We are trying to make the series as bad as possible, right? And maybe there can even be a Part 3, right?

By Episode 7, it is clear that even if Episode 8 (the final episode) salvages things a little, it cannot make up for the experience of watching Episodes 1 - 7, which is by turns boring and infuriating. Indeed, Episode provides a bit of a closure. I bet the evil genius behind the mess was disappointed that he could not continue having fun. Do Valen and Kaitoon make up? I would love to give a spoiler, but I can't really tell. It is not because we have an open ending. It's just that I can't be sure if the "ending" is just another daydreaming/imagination scene (like Kaitoon and Non's at the end of Episode 7).

It's sad that Part 2 destroys: (i) the King/Pete pairing when there is potential for a much more moving story for them, and (ii) the character development of Valen in Part 1. It's also saddening that things don't end well for Non, who is a likable person and possibly the only sensibly portrayed character of any importance. Maybe Love Area is secretly The Tragedy of Non. While heartbroken King has friends who care (and even a possible new love interest) and June has someone to cry to, our poor Non does not even seem to have a friend around to console him.

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1) The reason I watched this:

At the time, I didn't have time to watch dramas so I only watched films. This was appealing enough to give it a try.

2) Storyline/Plot:

This film's story seemed somehow special and different from any other idol or rom-com film that's why it felt appealing.

Positive points:

*The story was smooth since it combined great events and feelings together.
*The mini-stories intoduced during the film were a nice touch to avoid slow moments.
*The love story was light to the point that it would make you think that this isn't a romantic film yet the important feelings were there plus it felt like the right thing to do.

*Considering the fact that it was almost a musical film, I would say that the music was cool; not great, not bad.

Negative points:

*There was something missing in this film. They should've pushed it a little far in the middle since the story's development felt incomplete.


Story: 7.5/10

3) Acting/Cast:

*Lee Min Jung : I really loved that actress here; she knew how to deliever feelings and make good expressions. She portrayed her role well and gave a good impression as the lead lady plus she's pretty.

*Lee Jung Jin : I liked his character too, he was so mature and manly in many ways , he did his role in a good way.

*I loved the relationship between leads whether in fighting or in romance; good chemistry.
*I liked other cast plus there acting was satisfying.

Cast: 8/10
Acting: 8.5/10

4) The ending:

Even though it was a typical rom-com ending but I end up enjoying it and closing the screen with a happy face.

The ending: 7.5/10

5) My impression (How did it affect me):

*I was entertained, it was fun to watch.
*I was a little surprised since I hadn't much expectations for this but I end up liking it. I just love it when a film/drama surprise me (in a good way of course)
*I wasn't bored which is enough to make me satisfied.

My impression 8.5/10

6) Overall:

*If you like rom-coms then you would like this.
*If you like musical films then you may appreciate this.
*If you like light love stories then this is for you.

Overall: 7.5/10.

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Just feels right

Everyone is cute, (almost) everyone is nice, no horrible horrible angst, just a bunch of lovely and brave kids growing up and turning into adults. It's relaxing, the friendship is solid even when there is obvious romantic feelings budding and there is no awkward second hand embarrasment for us viewers. The acting feels natural, nothing over the top, and the main couple is just adorable. ML and SML have this weirdly nice husky voices that I enjoy a lot. The FML makes sense most of the time. The only thing I find annoying is when they switch Bull's Nikon camera to Canon.

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This is the best Asian thriller I have watched in ages. The story starts relatively simply. An intern to a law firm tries to save his loved one and gets involved with the police and underground. How a simple action gradually snowballs into many events and the whole thing spiral out of control is a treat to watch. The best thing about this drama is that it isn’t just 12 episodes long so things happen very fast . The characters are also immensely well etched . At least the fur ,aim characters keep moving between the black and white so that the distinction between right and wrong, as in real life, gets blurred.
The other two things I loved about the drama are the music and the location. While the music really set s you in the mood, the drama is set in Harbin, a Chinese city that looks like Moscow. The location is a stroke of genius and really adds to the atmospheric effect.
Highly recommended if you are in the mood for a noir

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Healthy and Strong Romance, Weak Criminal Cases

If you're looking for a light, easy watch that's relatively drama-free and focused on romance, Love is All is an adorable historical romcom. The series shows how Tan Lingyin and Tang Tianyuan solve different criminal cases together, and come to love and rely on each other along the way. This relationship is extra sweet, especially when Tan Lingyin discovers that Tang Tianyuan is actually her childhood idol. While the drama has its strengths in terms of the main romance, however, it also has some of its issues in relation to its stagnant plot and storyline.

I'd therefore highly recommend having a watch if you like these tropes:

♡ Healthy Romance Between a Magistrate and His Subordinate: There will be many comparisons to the relationship between Lu Yi and Jian Xia in the 2019 drama Under the Power, which I believe is accurate, as our main love line is also very natural and adorable. Both Zhang Ruonan and Zhang Haowei have incredible chemistry together, and showed how Tan Lingyin and Tang Tianyuan are not only very innocent in love, but also eventually grow to deeply care for each other. Tang Tianyuan also never uses his powers to overpower or control Tan Lingyin, but instead to help her and to encourage her to become a better advisor. Both characters thus begin with a bickering relationship, where Tang Tianyuan is more careful and strategic, while Tan Lingyin is mischievous and reckless. However, they also always consider each other’s well being and put their partner first, and have many heart-melting scenes that will make you feel “squishy.”

♡ A Focus on Women in History: The drama uses many instances to show some of the struggles that women face, especially to be respected and recognized for their work. While the historical aspects of such scenes may not be completely accurate, I did like how the show explored how Tan Lingyin’s abilities are questioned because of her gender. These conflicts are not only shown in the way the men in the drama speak about women and their roles, but also through side characters such as Zhou Zhengdao, who disguises herself as a man to work undercover in the Magistrate’s office. This is by no means a drama that deeply delves into these problems; but its attempts to highlight and incorporate some of them should be recognized.

♡ A Funny and Lovely Side Cast: I was surprised by how much I liked some of the supporting characters, and how much life they added to the drama. I absolutely loved Tang Tianyuan’s brotherly relationship with Zheng Shaofeng, and how both of them worked together to pursue the women they loved. I even loved Zhu Dacong — the silly fiance who Tan Lingyin attempts to run away from, because despite the fact that he was often the “fool” in the series, he was absolutely loyal and respectful to her even when she continuously tried to get rid of him. Most of all, while our second male lead Duan Feng does not get much screen time, he was incredibly handsome as a roguish bandit and was fun to watch as well.

♡ Cute Edits and Comedic Humour: This drama uses a lot of slapstick comedy, and uses cute extra-diegetic edits (i.e. whiskers, blush, funny cutscenes, etc.) as well as techniques such as breaking the fourth wall, that add to the lighthearted tone of the series. Overall, it’s meant to be a very fluffy and humorous series, and while the comedy may not work for all watchers, it’s nice to see as a break if you are watching more plot-heavy or emotionally investing dramas at the same time.

However, there are also some things you might not like about the drama:

♥ Major Logical Inconsistencies: There is a need to watch this show with quite a healthy amount of suspension of disbelief, and to not take the drama or its events seriously. There are a lot of issues from the outset, including characters that are supposed to be incredibly smart, yet unable to see the obvious (i.e. how the drama ridiculously implies that Zhao Zhengdao is completely unrecognizable when she dresses as a man, with her disguise being apparently so effective it can fool Zheng Shaofeng — who supposedly is great at gathering intelligence — for a solid ¾ of the drama).

♥ Somewhat Ineffective Genre-Mixing: Unfortunately, I don’t think the combination of crime and comedy in this series, especially when Love is All veers more on the comedy side, worked very well together in this drama. I think the main problem is that the cases themselves seemed very inconsequential, in that nobody seemed to be at serious risk or danger at any moment. Most of all, sometimes it also seemed as if characters, while demonstrating adherence to their moral beliefs, acted in unprofessional ways or sidelined their cases for their personal life. I admit I also did find myself sometimes fast-forwarding scenes where they were discussing cases, since I found them rather uninteresting. Thus, if you’re looking for a drama that depicts the solving of intricate crime scenes with interesting and gripping stories, this is not a show for you. However, if you really want something with a focus on romance, where the crime solving is just part of the background plot and helps to minimize filler scenes, then you may appreciate these aspects more.

♥ For A “Crime-Solving” Drama, Can Be Boring To Watch: Unlike other crime dramas, where villains may be more compelling and give the impression of being “evil” or “dangerous,” this drama didn’t really ever venture into this territory. Moreover, the length of the drama seemed to be too long, considering how little time was spent on cases, and cases often felt anti-climatic rather than exciting or mysterious. I emphasize that this is a light drama that really focuses on the romance between the different characters, and it has a very fluffy tone and colour palette. Consequently, while this drama never satisfactorily builds up any moments that can be considered high-stakes or life or death for the main characters, the lack of angst may be something that you appreciate if you want something that’s less heavy to watch.

I'd highly recommend you watch this if you liked dramas with a precious romance between the main characters, and you want something that’s light and binge-able. This is a great watch if you want something to take your mind off for the day, or to unwind and smile over at how comedic and meta the series is. While the comedy certainly will not work for all viewers, and some may find aspects of the plot boring and draggy to watch, the adorable romance between the characters is sure to make your heart warm if you want to see a couple with incredible chemistry.

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Cynics beware! This movie might touch even your hearts and make you feel uneasy. So, what it did to a rather naïve wannabe world saver like me? I don't know where to start - I guess I'm still in some kind of emotional shock. I liked this movie. A lot. But I won't watch it again anytime soon because I cried a bucketful of tears while watching it. What's even worse than that is the fact that this movie made me feel ashamed and it made me think. This is not your light piece of mindless entertainment. Still I think everyone should watch it once. It does you good.



There aren't too many movies like this. It has a good message that should come across to everyone. Maybe the world would really be a better place then. This movie's message isn't that everyone should be real-life Superman or next Mother Teresa. However, it does remind us that the little things and decisions we make ARE important. If some little thing you do makes at least one person happier, isn't it good enough? Everyone does have that little piece of kryptonite in their brains that makes us blind and indifferent towards other people. "We can't save everyone so why should we even try?" That is a thought that so easily creeps into our heads when we are overwhelmed by all the bad things happening in this world. This movie challenges that thought and I'm happy it does so.



I give best scores to this movie and I think it deserves good ratings even if it's viewed from a more objective standpoint. However, I'll let that to someone else. As for the rewatch value: I think everyone should watch this movie at least once a year since we forget the things we learn so easily. Oh, and I'm also an official fan of Hwang Jeong Min now. Such great acting.



After watching this movie, I'll wake up tomorrow with many good intentions. I know they won't last long but if I tomorrow pick up one trash from the ground or try to make someone else happy then I think this movie has made the world already a better place. Thank you, Superman!

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A great drama! I had very little expectations when I started watching this drama because the the ratings weren't high and there weren't many reviews written.

This drama by no means is perfect, in fact it has many flaws with sinful number of drama cliches. There were definitely lots of holes in the plot and some situations were just downright crazy. Some of the characters' behaviours were extreme and very unrealistic.

However, unbelievably these seemingly major flaws were overshadowed by the overall story about love, friendships and family relationships. I was completely drawn into the lives of these surprisingly interesting characters. The bromance between Jin Fan and Xie Chuang is one of the best I've seen in any drama. Their chemistry was perfect and they were joy to watch. I love to know the name of the actor that played Xie Chuang because he was so good. And wow, Hawick Lau portrayed his character, Jin Fan to perfection. I am a big fan of his now.

The romance between the main couple was cute as they had good chemistry but I also found the second couple (Xie Chuang and Jin Fan's sister) adorable. The story about the corporate world was surprisingly equally interesting as the relationships between the characters.

This drama absolutely exceeded my expectations, it made me laugh, cry and actually care about the characters deeply. I normally try to avoid watching long dramas because I get bored easily but I was thoroughly entertained by all 51 episodes.

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Memoirs of May

Here are few reasons why you need to check out this drama:

✨It featured one of South Korea's dark history.

This drama showed a glimpse of what happened during those years when Martial Law was implemented in SoKor. You will learn about SoKor's history during 1980s through this drama.If you are up for a background about what happened during the timeline of this drama, you might want to search: Gwangju Uprising.

✨Cinematography. Story. Acting.

I'm not really into Film Making but definitely this is one of those Kdramas with amazing Cinematography. The composition of the scenes, the color grading, the lighting. It was very pleasing. Story wise. Awesome. Back to reason number 1. I really love how they feature their History through this drama. Acting of the casts was also superb.

✨Chemistry between the two main leads.

Lee Do Hyun is definitely making a mark in the Kdrama world. I can't think of another actor that would best fit the role of Hee Tae. Go Min Si was also able to portray the role of Myeong Hee very well. I was hesitant if she could perform the role of a woman in a province during 1980s since I've only watch her in Sweet Home and Love Alarm, where she has a very strong personality. But, she was really able to pull it off. Their chemistry was overflowing. It was "kilig" watching their love story. They will also definitely make you cry.

✨Lessons about family and love.

This drama shares lessons about family and love. Circumstances revolving our family can really affect our choices in life but in the end, we still have the right to decide for ourselves. Loving someone can also be difficult and it could forever change our lives but if the other person is worth the risk, then do it.

Overall, this 12 Episode drama is worth my time. A must watch. Highly recommended. ❤️ If you haven't watched this yet, check it out. 🙂

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Dethrones Love O2O and Put Your Head On My Shoulder as my favorite RomCom!

I almost didn't watch this drama based on some negative comments and also the first 2 episodes had a rocky start, but once episode 3 hit and our leads finally interact via the game I was hooked. This drama is one of the funniest ones I've watched in recent memory. I was cackling nearly every single episode. I loved Lu Jing's roommates. Not a single brain cell between them and I love them for it. The gaming scenes were my favorite. Great CGI and funny interactions between our two leads. It made me excited to see what would happen when Lu Jing realizes who he's been gaming with. One thing I did not expect going into this was our main cp's chemistry. When I tell you that it was SCORCHING HOLY SHIT. Lin Yi has such a baby face but he amped up the sexual tension once he and Liang Chen finally meet in person. WHO TAUGHT THIS XIAO DIDI HOW TO KISS LIKE THAT??? He looked like he wanted to gobble Liang Chen during every scene. I was literally hiding behind my hands and giggling because I couldn't handle how sensual it was. Their first kiss had me in hysterics. Their first time in bed had me on the floor. I would say this drama is a must watch based on the two lead's chemistry alone. It's well worth it. I loved most of the supporting characters. The only things I didn't like were Jia Yun and the Ma Shan Shan/Taro relationship. Jia Yun creeped me out. He wasn't crossing any boundaries but the way he would try and reign in Liang Chen at times just put me off. I wish the writer's had axed this love triangle because he is way too old for her. His style of dress and speaking doesn't help either. Ma Shan Shan I also had issues with. I get she suffers depression due to her past relationship but she was so damn boring. I fast forwarded through most her scenes. And don't even get me started on her relationship with Taro. He really creeped me out in the beginning, too. He never respected her boundaries, borderline stalking her, wouldn't take no for an answer, etc. I wasn't rooting for them at all. They did grow on me a smidge at the end, but I wasn't invested in them at all. Over all, this drama is simple, romantic, and makes you smile. The plot isn't complicated, the leads shine with every scene they're in, and it's hilarious. No miscommunications or petty breakups for drama in the relationship, which I appreciated. The drama has a slow start and some may find the constant near misses of Liang Chen and Lu Jing frustrating, but if you can look past that and just buckle up for a fun ride, then it's well worth the time to watch.

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The focus on the absolutist self-image of the Jaeboel changes towards their very human weaknesses

"The Taste of Money" from 2012 bombards the audience with aestheticized images, a strangely bizarre stirring mixture of cynical decadence, insatiable greed and human weaknesses that even the richest of the rich don't stop at. Let's start with the moral of the story: money doesn't buy happiness. On the contrary. The more there is, the unhappier their owners get. They may be wealthy bank-wise, but humanly they are bankrupt. Maybe they can buy anything, but in fact they are (and remain) alone. Their relationships tend to be abusive, mostly cold, and rather an empty, highly polished shell.

The KMovie focuses on a Jaebeol clan with a CEO, his wife, daughter and son, as well as the CEO's assistant and a filipino housekeeper.

----------- SIDE NOTE: --- Jaebeol, the secretive modern royalty of South Korea ---
The rich and powerful of South Korea emerged as a distinct variety in the post-war years. As a motor of progress and prosperity, they still influence social life as a matter of course - hidden, unofficially, from the background. In their hands gigantic possessions are concentrated. These are consistently maintained within the founding families. The Jaebeol clans were created as part of the autocratic governance of the early decades of the Republic and were further strengthened during the military dictatorship. The founders set the course for the economic upswing. In the meantime however they behave like the country's new nobility. They shamelessly and ruthlessly buy and bribe people at will. The remaining 99 percent of society are practically 'learned helpless' at their mercy. You have nothing to oppose to this power, which simply interferes with the legislature, judiciary and executive if necessary.
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The protagonist's family is one of the first percent of the social class, which behaves as a matter of course as royal families. Here pomp, decadence, coolness, distance, and even obscenity dominate. The highly polished, stylized aesthetic stands in deliberate contrast to a rather gloomy lighting mood. The opulent wealth almost builds an aesthetic wall that cannot be penetrated. The family members are trapped inside. Nothing can or event likes to really approach that, let alone penetrate it. It is (and remains) a strangely strange world.

The idiosyncratic cinematic narrative style contributes to this. It doesn't even try to collect all the threads at the end and close them neatly. It's as if the camera jumped in on the family story at one random point and got off at another. At the beginning, the focus is on the corrupt machinations and the almost absolutist self-image, but that changes on the track after the very human weaknesses of the individual clan members open up. Although they pretend to be untouchable, they are still vulnerable and actually want to be touched. From there it becomes a more or less satisfactory settlement with their own heart balance. 'Love' is a concept in this world that doesn't really want to fit in.

One of the key scenes: Youn Yuh-jung is shown a 64-year-old woman in an unusual candid sex scene. A disturbing effect is deliberately wanted. In a way, this encounter between young and old, between boss and employee, points out the dilemma of the story, so to speak. In this short, impressive scene, the venal world of dependencies and emotional states is turned upside down. The rich have everything and yet they don't - there is something they don't have: the feeling of being wanted, desired or even loved for their own sake.

"The Taste of Money" is a somber social study about the 1 percent that sits at the top of South Korea's social pyramid. Once again. There is an astonishing number of such startling studies in the world of film and series. But it seems even more astonishing to me that there are obviously still far from enough of them. Because nonetheless, this 1 percent still sits dazzlingly on its throne and it is still considered highly desirable within South Korean society to get as far up the pyramid as possible...

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I will review each episode individually.

EPISODE 1 "T": after watching it I was like "whaaaat wait what is this?". it's about a transgender girl who has sex with a random guy met at a party, who the morning after steals her motorcycle. Then she meets a friend from high school who helps her look for the motorcycle but they have sex (damn why is my life so plain), even if the guy has a girlfriend. Then they see the guy that she met the day before and she slaps him. End. Good acting, confusing plot.

EPISODE 2 "B": the one I was looking forward to, since I'm a bi girl myself. But I ended up disappointed. This girl is in a relationship with another girl, but she meets a guy, they kiss and the girlfriend sees them. This was based on the stereotype that "if you're bi, you'll surely betray your lover". But it is not true. On the other hand, the acting was pretty good.

EPISODE 3 "G": the one I liked the least actually. It's about a group of gay friends who knew each other because they all were in a relationship (in the same time, yes) with a guy named Joe. One day, one of them announces he's been in a relationship with Joe for more than 5 months and they're marrying soon. But then he promises to not marry him and the ending was quite confusing. I didn't like it that much, the acting was not that good.

EPISODE 4 "L": the best out of the 4! A girl who works as an assistant producer meets this actress, whom she helps to practice the scripts. Then they kiss. The two lead actresses are really good and had a great chemistry. The thing that disappointed me a bit was the sad ending, but I still really enjoyed it and I could watch it over and over again!

Overall, not bad, it's the first time I see something about a transgender person and a bisexual person and I still enjoyed it. Recommended if you have a spare evening and don't feel like watching a movie.

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Strong on character but short on plot.

A Lonely Hero's Journey is about a young man's brave and lonely resistance to Japanese occupation. It is set in Suzhuo in 1941, just four years before Japanese forces withdrew from China. At the time, Suzhuo was administered by the Wang Puppet Regime; which was formed by a faction of the KMT that defected to the Japanese. The Wang Regime called themselves peace seekers and didn't have much authority but are regarded as traitors in history. While Suzhou was not the epicenter of resistance against the Japanese, it is a gorgeous and culturally significant historical city in China. This drama highlights the scenery, architecture and culture of Suzhou, including authentic famous Suzhou ballads. Its not your typical highly trained spy vs spy espionage story but rather about the defiance of ordinary people.

Gu Yizhong is a Western educated architect and the young master of the prominent and patriotic Gu family in Suzhou. On a rescue operation went awry, he gets framed as a Japanese traitor and is isolated and condemned by friends and family. He infiltrates the Suzhuo Secret Service station run by Zhou Zhifei to find out who the real traitor Cell 8 is. Zhifei of course knows who the real Cell 8 is and doesn't trust him for one moment. Zhifei and Yizhong are parallel characters that at a high level, share a common hatred for the Japanese. As individuals they are pushed to make difficult choices at pivotal moments of their lives. To survive they both have to be flexible; sacrificing a father, or a a son and their first love. Somewhere along the way Zhifei lost himself and became corrupt whereas Yizhong manages to hold on to his beliefs. In Yizhong, Zhifei sees the better man that he could have been but is not. In the guise of a mentor, Zifei goes after him like he is exorcising a ghost; destroying all that Yizhong values to bring about his moral downfall. Zhang Songwen is compelling as this selfish, dark and diabolical character, who occasionally allows glimpses of his lost humanity to shine through in his dealings with the two women he loves, his son and his mentor Mr Li.

This drama is very well cast and in addition to Zhang Songwen, is anchored by impressive portrayals by veteran actors Zhang Fengyi and Zhang Yao. In fact I think Zhang Fengyi's Gu Xixing stole the show. The drama starts to go downhill when Xixing exits and completely falls apart after Ou Xinping exits. The younger cast also delivers credible performances against the older actors. At times, Zeng Shunxi's portrayal lacks intensity and could be nuanced with inner conflict when it comes to how he feels about Haimo and Ruotong. Instead, he gives us nothing there so the way they ended left me scratching my head.

One of the best features of this story is how strong all of the women are in their own ways. Ou Xinping is not just a survivor, she is a killer with immovable convictions. Zhang Haimo is cool headed and calm, someone who is motivated by personal connections and loyalty rather than ideology. Unfortunately Haimo's character is destroyed after her walk away is walked back almost as an after thought to try to salvage the shipwreck of a storyline. This is Chen Duling's best role to date and I must commend her effort in even matching the lip movements of the very hard to sing Suzhou ballads. At sharp contrast is the passionate Xiao Ruotong who is far more emotional and willing to sacrifice for her ideals. Wang Yuwen's acting feels very genuine, evoking a moving picture of a young girl somewhat overwhelmed by the tide of history.

Despite wholehearted performances from the cast, this drama is strong on character but short on plot. The plot arcs lack logic and don't hold up well against close scrutiny. It is debatable whether Yizhong needed to make such immense sacrifices to isolate himself as a lonely boat that infiltrates the Suzou Bureau. His codename 孤舟/Gū Zhōu or Lonely Boat is too close a homonym to his surname Gù/顾 he may as well advertise that he is the CPC spy. The identity of Cell 8 is too obvious, diminishing the sense of suspense and is uncovered without much help from him. I was ready to fling my wine at the TV when the enemy simply allows Yizhong to walk away with the only key piece of military intelligence he obtained because he shamed his country for occupying China! After Japan lost WW2, it was absurd that Zhifei still stuck around simply to try to frame Yizhong rather than fleeing like the rat he is. But I guess in these kinds of stories the bad guy doesn't get to sail off into the sunset with his ill gotten gains. This is one of those dramas that can only be enjoyed if you watch the character stories and completely turn off your brain when it comes to the plot.

Even though this starts well and the acting is good, it starts going downhill just before the halfway point. I can only recommend watching this if you are a fan of any of the main actors or if you are interested in Suzhou culture. If not, there are too many better Republican spy dramas out there with tight and suspenseful plots. My overall rating 6.5/10.0.

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Even though I decided not to write reviews long time ago but this drama pushed my button. I had to calm myself for a while before deciding to write anything about this wonderful work of art.

So Ji Sub and Shin Hyun Joon, what more could a viewer possibly ask for? I’m so glad, genuinely glad that I waited 7 years to watch this! Why? Because it made me appreciate it even more than I would have back then considering that NONE of the recent dramas could ever match up to. We tend to value things more if we know it’s no longer available and is no longer easy to get by, thus I value this drama very much now.

Let me say this, a huge part of this review is dedicated to SJS's and SHJ's phenomenal performance! Because with all do respect to the very well-written story, those two wonderful men will steal you from the very first scene before the story gets to take a place! Their chemistry, is simply breathe-taking and heart-wrenching at the same time!

SJS’s trademark is his “sad eyes” and people have known it since I Am Sorry, I Love You (and what a trademark it is!) Trust me it is not easy to show such a sincere sad eyes like he does when he acts. His “sad” act, his crying scenes…he looks so damaged and destroyed it looks so real that you’d lose where you were at when you watch him act. His sincere-heartfelt act changes the “too overused” plots into a piece of art and a classic one even if it is a 10/20 years old. If you want to truly "feel" SJS, it has to be I Am Sorry I Love You and Cain and Abel.

Cho In has became my favorite character for SJS because he is a warm-hearted decent person, with cute smile and soft voice. This character has allowed SJS to show different side of him, different expressions… mixture of many expressions that I’ve seen for the first time while watching him. I loved Cho In’s kindness, naivety, innocence, sweetness, softness and vulnerability.

If SJS’ Cho In is half the reason why I loved this drama, Shin Hyun Joon ‘s Sun Woo is definitely the other half! This is the 2nd time that this man pushes me to tears (first time was in Stairway To Heaven). His portrayal of the antagonist is simply majestic and too beautiful to be put in words. Sun Woo is definitely a worthy rival of the great Cho In.

The story is very well written plot-wise and character wise. It struck me as slightly slow and scattered in the first episode, but things quickly gathered together and progressed in a way that really draws in the viewer. The characters and settings that were introduced kept things new and exciting without being overwhelming or hard to follow. I especially appreciated Young Ji because she was flawed! But not in ways I found to be cliché. She felt real to me! Which something I don’t normally see when it comes to the main female character especially this genre.

I have always for *some reason* thought that this is a revenge-themed drama but to my surprise this drama had so much more to offer other than plain revenge and for a revenge drama fan such as myself I still loved it very much, that didn't disappoint me at all, so kudos to the writer!

The OSTs are wonderful, the painful lyrics make the drama even more sad which contributes very well to the story. I loved it.

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I wanted to love this film as much as I love the actors in it, I really do.

Okay, I've read the manga—and I loved it. That probably explains why I wanted to love the film too. But don't get me wrong. There are things that I loved about the film too. Yes, the actors. No doubt. I am in love with both Nana Komatsu and Masaki Suda and to me, they are the perfect Natsume and Kou. It seems like, in an hyperbolic way, that Komatsu was born to be Natsume, you know.

The cinematography is just stunning and breathtaking. And the OST. Oh god, the sounds. The sounds are of absolute brilliance. There was a scene where Suda is doing the fire ritual and I felt like the cinema was going to collapse because of the raging and roaring of the fire. The cuts are done in many angles, some in slow-motion to be more melodramatic and sentimental. Which would be fine if not for the major problem.

But get this. The film really really failed in establishing one very important thing from the beginning: Natsume and Kou's relationship.

I've read the manga so the narrative itself is pretty clear to me but honestly, if I were someone who didn't read the manga, I doubt I'd understand. Or worst, I doubt I'd believe the authenticity of their relationship.

The manga establishes their strong bond, their strong connection and their strong (almost drowning ironically) feelings for each other. But the film...okay, I get that there is so much manga material to cover in 111 minutes running time and it did feel draggy towards the end—but it wouldn't have felt that way nor would it raise eyebrows if their relationship was properly established.

What I see when I watch are just two 15-year-olds who are trying too hard to cling to each other without any strong feelings—it seem like something de factor being the both good-looking, mysterious and popular. And I felt that was wrong. Very wrong.

That is why ultimately, this love story is doomed from the start. What salvaged it is Komatsu and Suda's chemistry. Or even Komatsu and Daiki Shigeoka's chemistry. And the amazing cinematography and roaring OST. I felt like there was so much more to these characters, to Natsume, to Kou, to Otomo, to Kana—and it felt like they were just discarded.

Even Kou and Otomo's friendship just got ignored and it's such a pity because the friendship plays a major part in how the love triangle shapes itself. Kana plays a bigger role later in the manga and the film just makes her like a stock character. Otomo gets discarded after his use. And the ending is very open-ended (which I would probably not mind if they fixed the crucial element of their relationship).

I feel like roles like this fit Komatsu well. But it's truly the first role where she's done the most drama. I love her (very much) and I have a bias but I will also be honest and say that she still lots to improve because Suda overpowers her. It's not BAD deadeyefish acting, it just needs to feel...stronger, more foreful. This me saying because she has worked with a lot of Japan's top actors (like Yamaken, Kamiki, Takeru Satoh; heck she even act alongside Andrew Garfield).

Though I guess, her timid, almost suppressed acting here works well for her character because her character has to be beautiful and calm and poised even while crying...it's not heavy drama but similar to what I said to Hirose Suzu before, just because you can cry doesn't mean you need to forget how your eyes show the emotion. And Suda's eyes remind me of my chameleon actors Shota Sometani and Fumi Nikaido—they act, they speak.

But I don't know why Suda looks so malnourished here. Honestly. There are times when it's so uncomfortable to watch him because I'm so afraid he'll break because you can literally see how skinny he is (yes Kou is in the book) but it looks unpleasing. I see a lot of potential in Daiki Shigeoka and the up-and-coming Mone Kamishiraishi.

Ultimately, Drowning Love (a title that actually holds a lot of significance which the film KIND OF touched on but not properly though the original Japanese title is Oboreru Knife which translates to "Drowning Knife") does try to remain a faithful adaptation but it really fails in establishing the leads' connection and relationship. It started off right away, very direct (though the dialogue is very poetic and that didn't work well because it felt like youngsters sprouting wishy-washy words) without much context or at least shape it properly later—which they didn't. It felt like a film with no goal which as romance wouldn't be a problem if you're telling a narrative though here, it felt...directionless with no clear intention. But still, I'll tell you that you will still feel some *feels* because the sounds and visuals would keep you there.

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