Reviews

Two outsiders. One equation: trust + time = transformation.

Some films shout. Others whisper — yet linger in your mind long after the credits roll. In Our Prime belongs to the latter.

An older man hides his brilliance behind a janitor's uniform. A young student, adrift among numbers and expectations. Two people, like distant islands — until they start to truly hear each other. What follows isn’t a grand gesture or dramatic spectacle. It’s something far rarer: a genuine connection.

Mathematics here is more than curriculum. It’s a space for thought, a shared language, even a kind of comfort. The film doesn’t promise glittering careers or textbook triumphs. Instead, it shows what can unfold when someone believes in you — not to solve the problem for you, but to walk the path with you.

There’s no melodrama, no inflated conflict. Just quiet gazes, thoughtful words, and a camera that respects its characters enough to let them breathe. In Our Prime finds dignity in the act of thinking and tenderness - in the simple gesture of someone offering a pencil, not to provide answers, but to begin the search.

With quiet sensitivity, "In Our Prime" tells a story of marginalization and a sense of belonging, of the silent power of recognition — how subtle forms of acceptance can reshape a life.

Gentle and empathetic. Uplifting and sincere.

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I personally think it is the best idol Chinese drama of 2015. All four perfect guys are in this drama. The one that gives but doesn't want anything in return; the rich guy; the nice, warm guy; and the cute, energetic guy. My favorite is definitely the male lead Ruo Bai. I have a huge crush on him and I really like Yang Yang. This drama makes you really motivated because the female lead along with her friends' support keeps improving in taekwondo. The theme song is also pretty motivating. Yang Yang who plays Ruo Bai plays his character extremely well. He doesn't smile but when he does, it makes me squeal. His voice is also deep and sounds really nice, not to mention that he is really handsome. The female lead is a bit repetitive because she adds senior behind all her senior taekwondo competitors. However, she does a pretty good job otherwise. The story isn't super creative but I really like how they focus on taekwondo. Without the taekwondo, it would be more of a typical drama. THERE IS A SEASON 2 SO BEWARE BECAUSE YOU WON'T SEE THE ENDING (UNLESS THERE IS MORE THAN 2 SEASONS) UNTIL SUMMER 2016!

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Let me start by saying that I didn't know these girls before watching this, I'm not a fan of the group/subgroup, so my review isn't influenced by that and it's solely based on the drama itself.

That being said, I don't think it was that bad. It isn't the most groundbraking suspense drama you'll find, it isn't the best written thing you'll see, but for the lack of experience these girls seem to have, the fact that it's "one of those idol dramas", the budget and the amount of episodes, I've seen much worse. To be honest, it's a very binge-watchable drama and it keeps the tension more or less throughout, so I don't regret watching it.

The plot starts in medias res, which I really appreciate in a suspense story, and I wish it had kept the focus it had on the beginning throughout the entire thing because, as the episodes advance, it gets unecessarily complicated for a story that didn't need so many unconnected twists and turns. And, for what I've seen in some comment threads, I'm not the only one left with more questions than answers when it's all said and done. I wish there had been one big focus instead of small things that have a common thread, kind of, if you squint.

Still, for all its complicated messes with the plot and its unanswered questions, it did leave me wanting to discuss it to try figuring out what just happened, and I consider that a good thing; I had left complicated dramas wanting to never look back in the past, but this is not one of those, at least. It's a mess but it's an interesting mess. And hey, I commend these girls for starting out with a suspense/horror/mystery drama rather than a typical school drama which would have probably hidden their inexperience a lot better but it would have been a lot less interesting to watch.

If you're looking for suspense with minimum to no gore, a sort of idol version of SAW, which will keep you wanting to know more, even if it's to try figuring out what on earth you just watched, and don't mind very inexperienced performances and some clear fanservice-y moments attempted to be disguised as representation (that's the idol industry for you, though, it's a general recurring problem), give this one a shot. And then DM me and tell me what you think just happened.

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A Series with Heart and Soul

One of the main aspects that stands out about Japanese drama is their way of including a heartfelt and inspirational message in their stories. I came across Cherry Magic on MDL two months before its official airing date. The plot summary and casting choices intrigued me. I had recognised both of the main leads, Akaso and Machida-san from their previous works, Nee Sensei, Shiranai no? (2020) and Joshi-teki Seikatsu (2018). Since Ossan’s love (2018), Japan has become more open to exploring BL/LGBT genre and well-known actors and actresses featuring in the genre. Considering those points, I had gone ahead and read the first two volumes of the original manga by Toyota-san’s Cherry Magic. The manga’s direction was lighter than other shounen-ai works, and I appreciate Toyota-san writing the characters in a likeable manner.

The story could have taken many different directions; however, I appreciate the staff and crew’s mindsets on the drama structure's focus. Having read the manga (Vol 1~4), and watched the drama series, I could sense the amount of thought that went into making the show fitting for a live-action adaptation while bringing heart and soul to these characters.

Most Asian dramas tend to over sexualise and romanticise unhealthy relationships, especially within the BL and LGBT genre. Therefore, the direction of Cherry Magic proves that none of those portrayals is necessary to create an exciting and engaging show. The show features a fair focus on realistic obstacles, including workplace struggles, the risk of striving for your dream goals and self-acceptance.

Acting:

The acting was top-notch; I could feel the character’s emotions, including the scenes without any dialogue. I loved how the main and some of the supporting casts were given a chance to show their range. It helped me become more invested in their characters. Setting the characters in a genre with both slice of life and a supernatural element could be quite challenging. Therefore, I believe the writers did an excellent job writing the main and supporting characters in a relatable and somewhat realistic approach.

Setting:

It was refreshing to see a drama set in a workplace setting with the given genre. It brought more opportunities to explore some realistic obstacles and a sense of relatability towards a mature target audience.
Much analysis has been made on the drama’s setting, placement of props and editing by fans. Although the production value is relatively standard, the staff considers all the mentioned elements, therefore, reflecting the character’s emotions with their given surroundings. I appreciate the setting being viewed more than a stage or an aesthetic; it made me rethink the use of colour palettes (e.g. Blue for gloomy mood by Kurosawa).

Music:

I fell in love with both the opening and ending songs featured in the show. The lyrics had much depth and connection with our two main characters. I found it interesting the opening represents Adachi’s internal feelings while the ending represents Kurosawa’s perspective. Both songs complement each other, and the visuals fit the songs melody. The soundtrack is both amusing and emotionally moving. From my perspective, I did not feel any of the ost or songs were out of place.

Last thoughts:

If you are used to seeing skinship and rapid development featured in romantic relationships, the show may not be your forte; however, I recommend you give the series a watch.. While watching the show; it reminded me that falling in love can be a wonderful thing in life despite the depressing and heartwrenching moments.

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**Note: this review contains minor spoilers. **

There are dramas that you watch and shortly forget about. There are dramas that you occasionally recall, but are not too memorable. Then, there are dramas that remain with you for a long time and immediately come to mind when asked about good dramas in general. Jejoongwon undoubtedly belongs to the last group. It has a “complete package” that is sure to please its viewers.

Jejoongwon tells the true story of the first western medical hospital in Joseon era Korea. There are three central stories to Jejoongwon: the so called “rags-to-riches” story, the rivalry between two very competent people story, and the love story. All of these sub-stories are told in a very different manner than most k-dramas, and provide something for everyone to enjoy.

The “rags-to-riches” part presents a man, Hwang Jung, belonging to the lowest class in the Korean caste system, the butchers (who were considered so low in status, they weren’t even allowed to have family names and were referred to by nicknames given to each other), who defies all obstacles (and there are many!) to become one of the first physicians of Korea.

The rivalry is between Hwang Jung and Beak Do Yang, the son of a nobleman with a keen interest in western medicine. The two have a natural affinity to medicine and are both outstanding at what they do, but one will always be better. The progression is unlike what many would expect, and doesn’t overpower the larger story at hand.

The main romance is between Hwang Jung and Yu Seok Ran, the daughter of an interpreter. Their romance is very gentle and gradual, but very fervent and touching nonetheless. Yu Seok Ran is a very unique k-drama heroine. She is ahead of her time, intelligent, kind, and self-assured. She also has a wonderful relationship with her father that is very moving and hard to come by.

At its core, Jejoongwon depicts the lives of three very different people who all see a similar future for Korea. They recognize that times are changing, and aid in the modernization of Korea through medicine.

The story is extremely well written. Taking historical events and rewriting them into a drama must be a difficult task, but it was executed very well. The characters were well developed and scene transitions were especially done well.

The acting was exceptional also. The casting of roles was very fitting for the characters. The role of Hwang Jung was played to perfection by Park Yong Woo. Hwang Jung is a man that has had to be invisible when facing member of the other classes for all of his life. He was not allowed to look at them directly, and needed to stick to the butcher’s neighborhood as much as possible or else be beaten and spit on. This causes confusion for someone who was instilled with these ideas since childhood and now has to live among people of the upper classes. Everything from Park Yong Woo’s facial expressions to body language expressed exactly what Hwang Jung was feeling throughout the story, a feature that is hard to find in many actors. Han Hye Jin has a great screen presence and brought Yu Seok Ran to life beautifully. Yun Jung Hoon also did a good job as Beak Do Yang, though not great.

Jejoongwon has one of the best OST’s I’ve heard in a while. The music fit the story well and increased emotional reactions to the scenes at hand.

The cinematography was not outstanding, but there were a few shots that were admirably filmed. I do wish there were more of those shots, but I was satisfied with everything else being done well.

In short, this was a very well produced drama that has sadly been overlooked, but deserves its recognition. A great story, excellent acting, plus a good OST to intensify the viewing experience, I recommend to this to everyone who has not had the chance to watch it.

**I have tried to make this review as objective as possible, but it is very hard to do with something that has moved me this much.**

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A must watch drama for 17+

Why? Read till the end…

I didnt expect a court drama will be so interesting like this, the cases are from real events and very well choosen. Lots of famous real cases from this drama encourage us to think and understand the dilemma of both sides (defendant and plaintiff), how judges have to balance between law and morality.

The cases often spark debates, force us to rethink and open our mind in unexpected ways.

Acted by Jin Dong, Cheng Yi and lots of other veteran and excellent actors, undoubtedly they make this drama enjoyable to watch.

There are countless life lessons we cant ever get from ordinary dramas and we will regret if we miss them out.

So, for new watchers, just try to watch 2-3 series to see if you get hooked with the stories or not.

*The english subs is not the best, but still understandable. Its available on mangotv youtube channel too, where the translation seems better there.

**updated after finishing 40 episodes without skipping any scenes (which is rare nowadays)

Till the end, the plot flows smoothly, no dragging, fillers, etc.

Draw the Line is a rare gem and a must watch drama for 17+ people, not because of xxx of course, hahaha, because it needs deep comprehension and matured thinking to be able appreciating this kind of drama :D

It also teaches us to be aware on how to “draw the line” in our own life, since we are facing bad/good/grey area and have to make decisions everyday.

So if you are 17+, you must enjoy DTL, if you dont enjoy it, then you should call your parents to watch it, hahaha

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This drama is really worth sinking your teeth into it -it's so good! It is inherently an investigative procedural with a supernatural twist that doesn't make you cringe because you may have a what the heck was those fx effects for. With each episodes the writers peels away layers of the story to ultimately reveal motives of the human heart. Our leading man Yun Jung Hoon in the role of prosecutor Min Tae Yeon uses his Vampiric prowess to solve violent crimes and I have to say that his portrayal his just perfect if you can look away of the eyeliner that in my opinion is just put a little to excess. The truth is in the blood--a taste of a victim's blood shows him glimpses of the last moments before death. Thrilling, sympathetic and so fresh--this show is a pleasure to watch. The biggest mystery surrounds Prosecutor Min Tae Yoon, tragic past in tow, who was turned into a Vampire under murky circumstances by an unknown sire. We're given juicy tidbits of clues along the way, and episodes are getting more interesting as characters continue to develop and the story gains depth. Top ratings for this innovative new drama--one of the best I've seen. A big reveal in EP 11...what a twist! And season 2 is being strongly considered right now. My only complaint and just because of that I did not give the drama a 10 is Lee Young Ah as Yoo Jung In the daughter of a mafia leader ( reveal in ep 10) who to escape her upbringing decided to live for the law. I don't really know how to get along with her characters , her acting seems force and her action rash, it seems to me like the writers don't really know what to do with her characters. Other than that nothing much to say now.

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I'm really enjoyed watching this drama.

AFTER I FINISH WATCHING THE DRAMA

Maybe this drama wasn't exactly calm and happy, but it became my next comfort drama nonetheless. The relationship between Dae Beom and Yeo Reum was developing at a perfect pace. It was cute, a little shy at times. They always supported each other, even if it wasn't the easiest thing to do. They are my comfort couple. Also, the friendship between Yeo Reom and Bom was something really cool to see. They could learn from each other.

For this drama, it was very important that Yeo Reum learned to enjoy these little things, even though she did not know what she would like to do in her life. She just started appreciating the here and now. And I love this concept.

This drama is definitely worth watching.

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AFTER WATCHING 2 EPISODES
rating: 9.5/10

I'm enjoying this drama so far. I feel like this title will become my next comfort drama.
A lot of negative things happened to FL in the first episode. Thanks to this, we will be able to see how she completely changes her life. I'm excited to see how FL will do in her new reality and I'm really curious about the librarian's backstory.

After watching the first two episodes, I have very high expectations for this drama. I hope nothing ruins it and after 12 episodes I will be satisfied with it
and be able to increase my rating to 10.

Of course, this drama reminds me of Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha as FL goes to the countryside to change her life after having a hard time in Seoul.

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I was kind of surprised with the special, if you're Hana Kimi's fan you'd feel a little disappointed. I believe we all agree that they should've made the special about the school's trip to California in order to visit Mizuki but that wasn't the case.
Anyway, the special was fair enough we get to see more of great moments specially hilarious ones. I totally love Nakatsu he's the best ever! It's true that Hana Kimi's cast was outstanding but every time I think about this drama, Nakatsu jumps into my mind with his weird yet funny and cool thoughts.
Maybe some people didn't like the special or thought of it as unfair but believe me the fact of seeing Hana Kimi's cast and events all over again is worth wasting your time on it.

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The stories in this drama are surprisingly controversial. That's what makes it so intriguing. Some stories will shock you, some will disgust you, some will sadden you, some will scare you and some will frustrate you. A drama that leaves such an impression on you and makes you feel these emotions, however, is one that I think highly of and therefore would recommend.

Admittedly you don't see a lot of Aaron Yan at first, which may disappoint you, but that doesn't mean you won't fall in love with the other characters, each individually trying to overcome their own troubles. Aaron's appearances are short but sweet and later when he gets more air time, I fell in love with his sweet, loving character even more. His relationship with the Death Girl, Du may leave something to be desired but is in no way shallow. I felt every emotion in this drama. A must watch!

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Man made goddess.

This fantasy drama is set in Sichuan, a world that is being torn apart by internal strife, corruption and disillusionment after the people are abandoned by their goddess. The young ruler Yuan Yi sets out to restore faith, peace and prosperity to his land by seeking the return of the goddess. This brings him to a remote village that is occupied by a tribe whose sacred duty is to contain the deadly earth fires from erupting and engulfing their world. There he encounters Linglong, a young girl with inexplicable powers and her father Huotu Xin. They are semi-outcasts in the village as Linglong's mother was an outsider who disappears as mysteriously as she appeared. Is Linglong the key to bringing back the goddess to Sichuan?

I have to give top marks for how mythically gorgeous this fantasy world looks - especially the fabulous flying fish ships. This drama's premise around this magical fantasy land and its man made goddess is very interesting and I really enjoy how the world building takes place slowly as the mysteries of the past and the origins of the goddess are revealed. The problem is that the plot peaks at that point, meanders around before limping to an unimpressive and dissatisfying ending.

I really enjoyed Yuan Hong's performance as Linglong's father in this drama and find it to be the drama's most memorable and enjoyable relationship. His heart warming, comical rapport with Zhao Jinmai's Linglong regularly had me grinning away and made me continue even after the plot lost momentum. This is one of the best portrayed father-daughter relationships I have seen in c-drama. I am so glad I watched this because I really needed to wipe the (not good) images I had of Yuan Hong after Rebel Princess. He is an incredible and smoking hot actor and I wish the drama was written around his character Huotu Xin, who is much more interesting than the titular character Linglong. That is one of my main gripes - the titular character Linglong is not that interesting and her relationship with Yuan Yi is sweet but does not make a lasting impression. Sadly the China market is idol-focused and there is limited room for actors like Yuan Hong who are ageing out of lead roles.

I love realistically written, opaque and intriguing characters with conflicting agendas, which is how many of the other main characters are written. That makes them so much more interesting than the OTP that I care a lot more about them and am dismayed at how callously they are dealt with. Even Li Sha and Yin Xiao are much more interesting both in terms of their personalities and abilities than the OTP. Not only was I rooting for both Wu Yuan and Yin Zhuang at the same time, I was also rooting for Wei Shengyan and Huotu Xin at the same time! It is incredible that this drama manages to resolve such win-win triangles in a way that manages to disappoint someone who is rooting for both angles. Wei Shengyan is a smart and curiously likeable protagonist who suddenly does stupid, self destructive things to force the plot towards the ending the writers wanted. I don't want to spoil the end so I will just leave it at lots of stuff happens, there are many sacrifices but Sichuan is not necessarily a better place and I don't care that much about the winners.

I enjoyed many aspects of this fantasy drama and can recommend it as a decent filler drama to watch with low expectations. I rate it 7.0.

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STORY: Bum-soo is an aspiring and struggling musician who becomes really close with his biggest fan, Hyun-woo. A friendship develops and eventually more.

ACTING/CAST: All of the actors did a great job. It was nice that the actors had good voices and could play an instrument without needing a hand double.

MUSIC: By far the best part of this production. The song, "As If You Whisper," is great. I really like the simplicity of the lyrics.

REWATCH VALUE: I will watch it again. The visuals showing off the beauty of Korea and the nice music makes it worth it.

Overall: Would have been nice for more focus on the "romance" part of the plot . The ending was happy!

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I'm really not even sure where to start... Since my first foray into Korean Dramas back in April of 2014 I have see many dramas that I wholeheartedly enjoyed, a few I found lacking somewhat but still fun and entertaining, and very small few that I just didn't care for. The Three Musketeers doesn't really fall into any of these categories because it transcends them all.

I literally cannot count the amount of times I cheered, laughed out loud, cried-mostly tears of joy but a couple times were for sad or simply melancholy reasons, cursed at whomever I detested or disrespected, clapped my hands, or was most profoundly stunned into absolute silence with my mouth agape and my eyes blinking ever so slowly.

This drama offered me everything I could ever desire in an amazing viewing experience. Bromances, romances, betrayals, action and adventure, revenge, loyalty, self awareness, self sacrifice.... None of them done in an over tired or cliched way, as so many dramas are wont to do. Even the villains in this were not evil for the sake of being evil. They were layered and deep and had understandable reasons for their treachery. Even if their actions seemed extreme to the other characters they interacted with, or us as the viewing audience, you could see how, from their point of view, everything they did had purpose.

While watching this drama I only ever had one negative criticism in my mind about one single character. I immensely disliked the Crown Princess, and was ready to deduct half a point from my overall rating of The Three Musketeers which caused a lot of inner turmoil. However, I am so very glad I followed the guidelines for reviewing and waited as, in the end, her character fleshed out and became one that I look forward to seeing develop in the future.

That being said I can say without any doubt there was nothing I didn't love about this drama. It was a wonderful adaptation of Alexander Dumas' Novel. I was thrilled at the ending and also saddened that I had no more episodes to look forward to... at least not today. Whenever they decide to air season 2 it will be like Christmas and my Birthday wrapped into one and I will count the days until this epic adventure continues.

All For One, and One For All !!!!!

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Beautiful Visuals, Empty Story: A Drama That Falls Flat

When I saw the poster and everything, I had pretty high expectations. The visuals were great, but the acting, on the other hand, was a mess.

The female lead was just an empty character. She barely did anything throughout the show and mostly just stared at everyone with teary eyes.

The male lead’s acting was over the top, almost as if he was trying to make up for the female lead’s lack of personality, but it didn’t work well at all.

The show seemed like it would be about music and artistic themes, but it ended up being focused almost entirely on solving the murder case of Bom’s mother. The main “villains” were supposedly trying to keep the leads apart to stop the truth from coming out, but it was so poorly executed and felt completely unnecessary.

The romance was practically nonexistent, maybe a little in episode 4, but later on they just forgot about it. Also, they had no chemistry. Like, none at all.

And the ending? A total mess. What do you mean you see someone after two years, kiss them, and that’s it, happy ending, yay 😀? It was beyond unrealistic.

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This is one of the best stories from the series. The characters had depth. I think the four episodes are enough because they were slightly hinted on the kiryu series. The male actor is really good looking. I think we can definitely say that he looks more thai with his features. The role of a serious, quiet but sweet and caring guy suits him best. I loved Minute as well, the actress played her part well, being spoiled, funny and genuinely good inside. I have watched this lots of times. I think the story will transcend not just to teens but to the adult population as well.

Tsundere feels!!!'

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