enjoyable m/m reality dating series
Overall: pretty well done, however there was definitely some misleading/confusing editing (especially in the finale) to create additional drama which I could have done without. When watching "reality" series, I always keep in mind that producers might tell the guys what to do/say and that editing can be extremely misleading (not showing things, change the order, etc). My goals were that the guys have some fun and being on the show helped (or at least doesn't hurt them) in their personal and professional lives. I have zero problem with them promoting their businesses as being queer has likely given them personal and professional disadvantages (and perhaps more so after appearing on the show). 14 episodes about 1 hour each. Aired on Gagaoolala & iQIYI (depending on your country)Content Warnings: discussion related to homophobia/life experiences
What I Liked
- I like how they started with a date and the twist gave a bit more drama
- the 30 second phone call thing was good (I personally think it's best if the guys say who they are and call someone they are romantically interested in to avoid mixed signals/increase the odds of a mutual match)
- the twists were well done
- once again a good decision to not let them say their age or occupation right away. I think people get fixated on those things when in reality personality, values and goals are much more important compatibility-wise and it will make a good reveal in ep 3
- jenga game was a good way for everyone to learn more about everyone else, and although it got kind of serious, it seems to have brought them together and is an important thing for viewers to see/learn about
- production value such as nice music, set design, editing, etc
Room For Improvement
- too many phone calls, would have liked to see some more larger group games
- needed a graphic at the end of each episode to see who called who/was interested in who because I get confused and wanted to see if there were mutual matches
- needed nametags or nametag necklaces at least for the first few episodes to get familiar with all of their names
- there was confusing/misleading editing that I don't think was needed
Life Advice: I really want to have heart to hearts with a few of these guys, but here are my main takeaways/advice
1. Being "nice" is frequently much more hurtful if you are leading someone on verses being honest and saying you aren't interested in a person romantically
2. (related to number 1) Honesty is the best policy - make it clearly known from the beginning who you are romantically interested in, I know it can be embarrassing, but if you aren't mature enough to be honest then you aren't mature enough to be in a romantic relationship
3. Be careful of changing yourself for a romantic partner - it's fine to change things that you want to change, but don't change yourself to fit someone else's desires for how you should be, otherwise you're at risk of losing yourself and your happiness
4. Work on your own self esteem - don't expect another person to complete you but rather complement you. Using another person to prop up low self esteem is likely not going to end well.
Comparison to other m/m dating shows
1. Sparks Camp (Philippines) on YouTube. 10 guys, anyone can pursue anyone else, too many group games that are not getting to know you types, but overall done well
2. Love House seasons 1 & 2 (Vietnam) on YouTube (most have English subs, this is ep 1 of season 2 no subs though https://youtu.be/TKzT_nHfVTA ). I liked this set up more than Bromance because the guys could all pursue one another. I didn't like the "secret couple" aspect and dividing them up based on sexual position seemed odd (can't they discuss that in private???) Season 1 was also the most brutal "rose ceremony" I've ever seen in any dating reality show. Season 2 was better.
3. Bromance (Thailand) is also on Gagaoolala. This is the typical Bachelor/Bachelorette set up with a bunch of people competing against one another to be with the 1 bachelor. I didn't like this because they could have all been hitting on each other and we have multiple couples! I got kind of bored and skipped a bunch.
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The drama shows 2 couples, one year couple and 7 year couple. They face many problems such as Jealousy, shame, envy, their dreams, friends and society.
They talk a lot about marriage. A couple which are already living together, we'll think about marriage naturally. So the problematic on the drama : Is the marriage something about how long have you been dating your partner ?
I thought the concept interesting , Playlist Global proves once again their evolution, they are trying many differents style.
By the way let's talk about Actors. "Omg" they are very good, handsome / beautiful BUT despite that, we can notice that it's not about physical , so you feel no complex XDDD I mean, they didn't put an accent on beauty, but on humans values, problems, happiness , on the human, so we can easily identify on all the character, Indeed sometime we are too greedy, sometime we want to be the worse one by wanting someone else boyfriend, sometime we give up on something for someone and sometimes we have to do choices.
All the songs were very good ! *-* Kwon Jin Ah ost *-* ... hahem..
The drama was well done for me, the scenes, acting, light, music. And the number of episode help a lot. That's why I like Playlist Global, stories may be basic, but they go straight on point, and you can finish one drama while waiting somewhere, practical !
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Not worth it
The ML was misleading. The FL was annoying and couldnt make up her mind. Story line was boring and all over the place. The person she choose she had no chemistry. It was a waste of time and uninterest as the story unfolds. Not worth it, even to rewatch.In South Korea, its views were horrible low. One would think international views would have helped but it was a disappointed too.
I watched alot of Kdramas, Cdramas, JDramas and ThaiDramas, but this drama has to be the worst I have seen and so disappointed.
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First of all I want to mention, that I was really excited about this drama, and the trailer just made us love it even more, but not the end was a decision as the course of the drama was too fast and very cruel to our protagonist.As typical of Chinese dramas, especially epics, here we have the case of "everyone loves me", that is, all the male characters love our protagonist but the female ones feel envy and hate .... I thought it was like Empress of China a sweet woman with men who love and respect her. However, this turned out to be a lie because only one of the protagonists truly loved the senior, since the king, in my view, saw it as a necessity, an obsession ... many excuse the attitudes of such because it is beautiful, but put yourself in the the protagonist's place ... to suffer physical and verbal abuse as she suffered no one deserves it, they would like someone who you are not attracted or like to start assaulting you to put you down whenever you can, because in Women Kings we witness this ...
Too much shit and obsession from the male leads..
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Two teens (played by the Kinki Kids) sneak into a city they believe to be under lock-down after a massive earthquake. While there, they find there was no earthquake. The entire city has been quarantined by the government, due to a mysterious illness that has infected and killed every adult. Now that they've entered, they're trapped.
The children of this city, trapped in what amounts to post-apocalyptic circumstances, struggle to survive and war over limited resources and territory. The few remaining teens attempt to establish order and negotiate with the government that has abandoned them.
Bokura no Yuuki is an amazing survival tale with a level of intensity rarely seen in prime-time dramas. The story is very well constructed and paced. It is suspenseful, but also takes the time to develop each character and relationship.
The cast is mostly children, but they do a beautiful job portraying the many emotions in this drama: mourning, emotional upheaval, frustration, betrayal, childlike naivety and hope...
I can't say enough good things about this drama, although I will provide one warning. The first episode is misleading because the old-fashioned technology feels very "dated". The first episode turned me off the series initially, but when I pushed through to the second episode, I was thoroughly hooked. It is now among my very favorite dramas.
As an aside, this is MatsuJun's first acting role! At age 13/14, he's ridiculously adorable.
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Mahal kita (I love you)
This film is indeed a long time coming. Being born from the initial outbreak and lockdown in the Philippines, Gameboys is an inspiring piece of work that reminds us that even through great adversity, love and family are still the most powerful things we have.The film is a fabulous mix of the camera style we got to love from the original series, while also expanding upon it with scenes where our beloved characters are seen actually together in person. The obvious juxtaposition of the movie from the original series is just amazing to see, while the cinematography and the obvious regard of color theory was just exquisite. Its production is the opposite of disingenuous to its fans, and we loved to see it.
The story is a direct sequel to the events of the original series. We see Cairo and Gavreel, along with Pearl and a few not so surprising characters, go through the brief time the main couple is allowed before Cairo leaves for Bukidnon. And of course, along the way, there has to be some drama. And drama it was. Makes-you-want-to-punch-someone-on-the-face level of drama, but best you check that out on your own. ;)
Highlights include the character developments of Terrence, Wesley, and Achilles. They had such great potential from the original series, and I loved that they were given a chance to elaborate on their somehow complicated relationship. That, among other parts, of course, was straight up proper queer representation. Heteronormative tropes say what? We don’t know her.
Another highlight is the tita Susan character which was so on the nose on the cliché über religious Boomer. I mean, she was clutching a Santo Niño at the start like it was a purse! She is the epitome of what we of the LGBTQIA+ abhor and fight against. Kudos to the actress. I genuinely wanted to throw her off a cliff, and that’s a complete complement in this regard. It’s quite a toxic character, and a reality a lot of people in the community from predominantly Roman Catholic countries like the Philippines have to face so often. My heart goes out to them.
The character is clearly a commentary on how Catholics seem so ready to involve themselves with the affairs of the LGBTQIA+. They seem so ready to give their unsolicited and baseless opinions as if the LGBTQIA+ are a commodity or an object they can just play with and never take seriously. It’s such a curious reality in our world. Like us being gay somehow is about them. Not us. THEM.
The character and her part in the story reminded me of a quote from Into the Woods: “Careful the things you say, children will listen. Careful the things you do, children will see and learn."
Fact of the matter is that children listen and remember the words that you may have thought wouldn’t leave a scar. Words or comments that seem to be so light to you can have a tremendous and lasting effect on others. Words can leave scars, and children do remember. I hope this message resonates with every person who sees the film. We have to be careful with what we say, even to children.
We as LGBTQIA+ stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. We have to fight for our rights. Grinning and bearing the lashing words of the ignorant can only get us so far; we don’t deserve to hide who we are and who we love. A message I hope that resonates with everyone who sees the film is that whether you are a member of the LGBTQIA+ community or otherwise, remember that we are all part of the fight. We have to do our part to battle for our rights. LOVE WINS ALWAYS.
Lastly, of course it won’t be surprising that So, Canlas, and de Santos gave fabulous performances reminding us why we loved Gameboys in the first place. Our boys have come so far from where they started. Cairo and Gavreel have gone through so much during this pandemic, and they do deserve the happiness they fought for. Canlas and de Santos really make us feel the hardships and emotions of being LGBTQIA+. It feels so real. It feels so right. Pearl, on the other hand, ever so charming, is a cherry on top of this Gameboys cake, she deserves all the love, too.
To end this, it was very humbling to be reminded subtly of the adversity COVID has wrought upon the Philippines and the world. Love and family can be the last things we hold after experiencing so much hardship and death. We fight on with those we love and care for with our heads high and continue the good fight. COVID may have ruined a lot of things for us, but it can’t ruin the human spirit.
Gameboys the movie is a solid 10/10 from this fan.
ALL THE KILIG IN THE WORLD!
P.S. if you’re a fan, you probably already know that Season 2 of Gameboys comes after this film, so keep excited! It’s far from over!
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Fleshed out characters and powerful storyline in just short film
I started the film with just the sketchy synopsis, but was immediately reeled in with the storyline.I like how the conflict was immediately shown when the two main characters were introduced. The writer and director did not waste precious minutes in fleshing out the characters and showing their motivations in the film. On first watch, it is seemingly a slice of life film and has a happy ending, but on the second watch, I grasped the feelings interspersed with the somber music (or lack of it) in the last few minutes of the end. The adopted son labeled himself a "nobody," and was desperately longing to have a family or at least a place to call home (as presented by him saying he will not leave), and with those things as his goal, he became the glue to the family. He became the son that was lost, the protector and the lover.
I think he don't love the older brother, but instead offered himself to fill what the older brother need.
oops! I rambled again.
Ultimately, I love this short film and wish to someday see this one be made into a longer film or a series.
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Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!: The Movie
21 people found this review helpful
"When you're weak, I'll be strong. And when I'm weak, I'd appreciate a helping hand from you."
I might not be able to love it as much as the drama, but it was definitely a beautiful one.I love every bit of it. You can tell every scene has meaning - every touch, every word and every expression. This was so needlessly sweet and warm and pleasant and respectful to the source material,
Even some says the magic was lost, well not for me. Still my favorite couple and sure many will also agree for them.
The beach scene >>>>>>>>>>>
Absolutely recommended to watch it. Especially if you are having a bad day, this is the answer thus re watch this as many times as you can.
May we find the Adachi and Kurosawa in our lives. <3
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The first 1/3rd of the drama kind of felt like a prologue to the second half because the second half felt like the main story. I liked the organization of this drama and the romance developed between the leads felt subtle, smooth, and not deliberate.The drama started with a competition and the drama ends with a competition, wrapping up the drama very well with no loose ends. The drama was extended and though the extension prolonged the inevitable ending, it gave more time to fully explore the students' romantic relationships. Thus, I thought the extension did more good than bad. Most of this drama focused on the development of the romance between the leads, the daily obstacles of high school life as a high school student, and the complications that go with being a teacher/high schooler.
I seriously loved the cast. There was no annoying antagonist at all, no revenge plot, barely any love triangles, and no disapproving parents. Nita Lei was amazing in this drama; she is the best friend I never had-crazy, hilarious, and caring. Huge props to her acting. What made this drama shine were the student storylines and of course Lego's fantastic portrayal as a teacher. Han Jie (Lego) drastically changed after meeting Xiao Rou (Allison Lin. Xiao Rou also changed after being with Han Jie. Their love for one another made them change for one another.
Soundtrack was fabulous-the songs were so catchy and appropriately used.
I definitely recommend this drama. There's barely any angst in Love Cuisine so it's a very light-hearted drama that's easy to watch. I think a lot of people didn't enjoy this drama as much as I did because the problems/obstacles felt trivial since there's no love triangles/vindictive antagonists so it became boring. However, that's what made Love Cuisine so easy to watch! If you want to laugh in every episode, watch this! (9/8.5)
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Story is the typical girl looks like boy, uses that to "trick" certain people, gets closer to the male lead..the same old stuff back in the last decade. What made this drama different then most was the fact that the lead actor was unaware of her gender and was a poor guy thinking he was confused. That to me, was one of my favorite aspects of this entire drama. This ended up being a romantic comedy without going too overboard on the comedy (in my opinion). The relationships formed naturally on screen between the leads and between all the side characters. There were some slow parts in this drama but for 17 episodes, I thought things moved fairly quickly. This story just has side stories for most of their other characters.
Cast. UGH. I completely forgot how much I loved this cast! Gong Yoo and Eun Hye are seriously a match made in heaven. Their on screen chemistry was simply undeniable. From when they met until the very end, all of their scenes together were pure perfection. Their acting was so perfect it seemed real and I haven't been able to find a Korean drama where two actors grab my attention like these two.
All of the side character actors were just as perfect. The cafe workers (rip Lee Eon), all the family members and others were casted perfectly. Everyone just seemed to mesh extremely well together.
Music, honestly was never a favorite of mine. Though the whole "la la la lala" song would get stuck in my head for days, there was nothing really special about the music used.
As stated, I have rewatched this drama and believe me, in time so will others. It's just that type of drama where you wouldn't mind watching it from beginning to the end again. I always recommend this drama to new drama watchers and I think I always will. It's a feel good drama and it's also up on Netflix for the time being so if you have it, watch it!
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Gloriously special indeed
I’ve watched quite a fair number of military-themed Chinese productions over the years which usually contain similar themes and DNA in the storytelling structure. For more recent productions, we will come across the usual suspects as far as the villains are concerned.- Themes: New recruits’ coming-of-age at the military academy
- The DNA: think propaganda, jingoism, and a healthy dose of flag-waving at every opportunity.
- The usual villain: Being set in present times, these days its nefarious drug cartels and its associated shadowy crime organisations.
Glory of Special Forces contains the same blueprint as outlined above. But is it exactly the same as other military C-dramas or does it showcase anything new? More importantly, is it worth your precious time to check it out? My answer is a definitive and unequivocal YES. I daresay this drama is quite likely the best in the genre that I’ve ever watched, and then some.
The drama is adapted from the novel "The Special Kind of Special Forces” (中国特种兵之特别有种) written by Fen Wu Yao Ji (纷舞妖姬), a nom de plume whose actual name is Dong Qun (董群). He is an award-winning and renowned military fiction novelist who is responsible for the source materials that form the basis for the box office hits Wolf Warrior and Wolf Warrior 2.
Directed by Xu Jizhou (Rookie Agent Rouge) who also co-wrote the screenplay adaptation along with Feng Ji, notable for having written Ark Peace (headlined by Chen Kun), The Weasel Grave and Decoded (one of my favourite Republican-era spy dramas). Principal photography took place from April to December 2019. Yes, this drama had been in censorship limbo for quite a while before it was finally released. The main cast reportedly underwent actual combat training under the guidance of active servicemen, the result of which is quite apparent in terms of their physical appearance and overall stunt coordination in the production.
The soundtrack features a total of 4 songs specially composed for the drama, along with various patriotic music and the original score. Liu Yu Ning participated in the project as well by contributing 2 songs.
The Book of Life 生命之书 - Liu Yuning 刘宇宁
Looking Up at the clear skies 仰望晴空 - Liu Yuning 刘宇宁
Climb 攀 - Zhang Lei 张磊
My Pride 我的骄傲 - Jin ZhiWen 金志文
What I Liked
The character-driven narrative. Yes, it’s about an army recruit’s coming-of-age who goes through hardships during training to finally make it into the elite special forces team and bring justice to the bad guys. But this young man’s journey takes on a multifaceted approach that includes themes of dealing with complicated backstories, complex family, team and relationship dynamics, as well as combat-related PTSD, along with the thrills and spills of the action and adventure. Despite the lengthy 45-episode count, not once did I feel bored or disconnected because the content is engaging that covers a wide range of interesting subject matters while the storytelling is brisk and finely balances the multitude of intersecting plotlines therein. There is a noticeable absence of unneeded fillers that tend to plague C-dramas of this length, which is always very much welcome.
The scope of characterizations. Most dramas of this nature focus purely on the leads while everyone else is neglected - supporting characters and antagonists alike. Not this show though. Although the ML drives the drama, and magnificently at that with a depth of character and strength of conviction that shines through, the rest of the characters are afforded a certain extent of the spotlight which elevates them beyond mere one-dimensional caricatures or inconsequential afterthought. The mentor(s), families, comrades-in-arms, friends, and even the villains are able to breathe life to their presence as crucial elements of the story, each with their very own character arcs that interweave seamlessly into the overarching plot.
The authenticity in the depiction of the military aspects. I’m no military expert but from years of watching such content, be it Asian or Western, there is a marked deftness to the portrayal of the special forces’ operators. In terms of the intensity of the firefights, the brutal hand-to-hand fighting and the coordinated execution of the field missions. Likewise the hightech hardware, weaponry and gadgets showcased.
Another facet of the military life that forms the bulk of the story is the hardcore training. Now there have been many forms of military training showcased in various dramas, most notably the recently aired Operation: Special Warfare’s harsh “Shaolin-esque hell’s camp” where bricks are smashed on participants’ heads, among other things. How true that is, we’ll never know but in this drama there is no such brutality that beggars belief, which reflects a measure of realism felt from the scenes shown. That said, there is a scene involving breathing apnea for underwater training and carving chrysanthemums out of rice grains to improve calmness and shooting accuracy…
Finally we have the cast themselves. My personal opinion - this drama could possibly be the turning point in Yang Yang’s acting career. I enjoy watching him especially in the currently airing Who Rules the World. He is definitely leading man material who possesses the charisma to light up the screen. As the ML here, however, his overall performance is more than a couple notches above and quite possibly his best ever. The level of commitment in undertaking tough preparations to literally transform himself physically into a tanned lean and mean machine to fully convince viewers he is a bona fide special forces soldier. As if that isn’t enough, he goes on to display a complete spectrum of emotions in his acting. If you’ve ever wondered how a distraught, tormented and agonising Yang Yang looked like, you can see it all here.
Despite the FL billing, Li Yi Tong actually has a smaller role as a supporting character. Nonetheless, her character of a resolute military officer is subtle, nuanced and unobtrusive. The one character that impresses me tremendously is Jiang Lu Xia who plays sniper Guo Xiao Xiao. One of the best written and depicted female soldiers ever in a C-drama. This is not a pretty face that’s shoehorned into the role of a tough-as-nails female character - she really is the real deal. In fact, she used to be a national Wushu champion before becoming a star of the much-lauded Operation Red Sea. As for the rest of the supporting cast, they generally delivered a decent account of their respective portrayals.
Perhaps Could’ve Been Better
This drama is not flawless by any means but without nitpicking, I honestly do not have major concerns on the production quality or significant complaints on the plot, both of which have exceeded my expectations in general. However I do wish there had been more action in terms of active missions and actual operations to balance out the training scenarios, in addition to a stronger and more impactful ending to the story.
Not a popular opinion perhaps, but I also wouldn’t mind having light romance added into the mix as part of the ML’s development. Not too much but enough to depict a more wholesome emotional growth in an overarching side story and to flesh out the relationship dynamics between Yang Yang and Li Yi Tong’s characters.
Despite the obvious improvements in the portrayal of the antagonists in this drama, I feel more depth could have been written into the characterization and backstory to heighten the complexity of the storytelling as well as to avoid the pitfalls of merely resorting to unsound villains with psychotic tendencies as the go-to trope.
Final Thoughts
I have thoroughly enjoyed the best military-themed C-drama as well as Yang Yang’s best performance, to date. There is much to love about Glory of Special Forces and I’m glad it delivers despite the long wait and extensive running time. This is absolutely recommended viewing indeed.
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The plot of this drama was a bit...well let's just say it definitely wasn't the best. It didn't really have much depth, and a lot of things that were introduced the writers just never bothered delving into later on. Still, it was a single story kind of plot anyway. There were multiple obstacles that had to be overcome to reach the climax of the drama, but it was just that one event. Truthfully I think they could've done better with the fake musical. Even if it wasn't real, it should've at least made sense. They only showed like 3 minutes of it but I'm still thoroughly confused about 95% of it. It was still nice though, just a bit anti-climactic. I think the main thing that kept me watching is how utterly cheesy, cringeworthy (in a good way), and agitating this drama was. There were so so so SO many times when I found myself yelling at my phone or banging my head against the wall or punching my pillow because of how stupid or idiotic or frustrating the characters could sometimes be. Like just. WHY. Why would you do that. Do you need to go back to grade school. At any rate, you'll see what I mean. There were also warm fuzzy moments too, those extra cheesy lines or actions that make you what to scream and bite your lip and laugh maniacally? Yep, full of those. The love lines were pretty cute too, especially Joon Hee and Hee Joo, the most unlikely pair of 2011.
Oh dear the characters. Don't get me wrong, there was great acting in this drama. Yonghwa didn't disappoint, and Park Shin Hye was Park Shin Hye. It's just wow whichever writer wrote this drama needs to get strangled. Shin, the narcisstic prince, spends half the show pining after someone who obviously would never end up with him? Gyoo Won had pretty much no spine at all, and spent the entire time getting mad at Shin for no reason while he had to apologize every single time for something that wasn't even his fault. I don't think he's ever gotten genuinely mad at her once during their actual relationship. It's always been Gyoo Won making a ruckus over nothing. Not to mention, the both of them are so stupid and bipolar. I'd be spoiling if I gave reasons as to why they're stupid, but you'll see pretty soon once you start the drama. As for bipolar, well it's pretty much what it means. One moment Shin thinks this, the next he thinks this. One moment Gyoo Won says she hates Shin, 5 minutes later she smiles at him......OKAY. Are you planning to kill him with love? Cause it ain't gonna work. Lastly what you've all been waiting for, drumroll please......Park Shin Hye's kissing. Since I watched this drama after watching Pinocchio, I'll cut her some slack. She could actually kiss in that drama. Maybe she was tense and shy in her other dramas, but DANG that girl could not kiss. With a grand total of two (not) kisses in the drama, it was more like they were just brushing lips. I could stick a feather in between there seriously. And that deer in the headlights look for their first kiss? With both of their eyes open? Oh my god I had to look away. Seriously why would you open your eyes I do not understand. I mean her eyes were already big but when they were kissing (brushing lips) I could've sworn they were going to pop out. Just. Jesus. I mean I understand that Kdramas like to portray that innocent thing, but please director both of them are fully capable of a decent kiss, why are you torturing us like this seriously wtf.
The songs I really really really reaaaally loved. From You've Fallen For Me, to Because I Miss You, to Star, they're all perfect. I just love the OST for this. A definite A+ from me. Yonghwa's vocals are most definitely out of this world, so be prepared.
I will definitely re watch this many times before it gets too old for our time and turns into a grainy mess of pixels. It's a nice drama that really aggravates you and gets you involved, which I like. It's better than sitting there staring at a screen for 16+ hours with a blank look on your face hiding in your dark cramped closet right?
Overall, this drama was really refreshing. Although it wasn't the best ever, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Be prepared to yell and scream at the stupidity of all the characters, and cringe from cheesiness. If you'd like something that you can just watch lightly, without too much angsty stuff, give it a try. There will be crying though, but don't worry it'll pass. You'll most definitely LOVE the OST, so be prepared to sing along. ^.^ (And yes, I am watching it in 2015. You've gotta watch all the old ones so you can enjoy the new ones right?) Wow this was loooong, for the people who actually read through this, thank you and I hope you watch and enjoy the drama :)) Yonghwa, Shinhye fighting!
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This drama surprised me in so many ways. Despite its age, it's very watchable today. The acting was stellar all around. It felt quite natural and in a way, less staged and choreographed than many modern dramas. Seeing actors such as Choi Min Soo and Go Hyun Jung in their breakout roles would make the 24 hours of heartache worth it even if the drama was not quite as good. It is that good, though!
The music, while unconventional, fit the mood of the drama well. Thank goodness they chose atmosphere over trendy ballads because I'm sure I would not have appreciated that as much in 2018. It got a tiny bit repetitive, but it's a minor issue. I wonder if that was a criticism they got when the show aired as well? At some point pretty late in the drama, a "new" background music appeared to soundtrack all the action scenes. (I didn't like it. It was cheesy and didn't fit with the rest of the music :P)
There are only a few other things I can think of to criticize. The wardrobe seemed odd to me. The story runs from the early 70's to the late 80's. It was filmed in the mid 90's. Throughout the drama, the clothing was basically pure 90's to my eyes. So when the real life footage shows up, it's kind of jarring that those people are actually wearing clothes of their time but the drama characters are not. It's a bit jarring. And the other criticism is that the sound effects are very dated. Cartoonish "thwaps" and "pows" abound whenever a fist fight occurs. It's kind of endearing in a way, though. :)
I won't describe the story. Even if you aren't normally a fan of politics and gangsters, you might find you like them in this context. If I had known in more detail what I was getting into, I might not have been so eager to watch, so don't let genre deter you if gangsters aren't your thing either. I was won over by the pace of the story and the compelling characters. I was impressed by the lack of common tropes. If I had any preconceived notions of what a 90's kdrama was like, I think it must have been that I expected way more cliches and the same old tired tropes that we still have even now. They had to come from somewhere, right? Well, maybe, but they didn't come from this drama. No childhood chance meetings ending in eternal love. No clear-cut, neat revenge plots. What it does have: lots of gray characters, which are my favorite kind. A surprisingly strong and articulate female lead. No easy answers, no preachiness, but lots to think about.
The intertwined lives and fates of the three main characters is what drives the story. What holds it together and gives it staying power, even today, are the timeless themes of corruption, abuse of power, and the thirst for change for the better despite so much resistance and sheer inertia. (And bringing in real life issues and events that would still have been in the fairly recent past for the audience at the time lends it that much more weight.)
Lastly, THE ENDING. I shall say no more in terms of story. But it hit me like a ton of bricks. Nicely done, show.
I cannot believe that no one has written a review for this drama! I'm not sure my review does it justice, but if you like a compelling drama and don't mind some dated effects and styles, then give it a shot.
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a healing journey indeed
first, if you are here for the actor kim jae yong, he does not get so much screen time which is understandable. The story revolves around our main character Yeo Reum, about her own self discovery journey. This drama is slow paced, healing, and more focused on sceneries and human emotions.what i loved and you might love:
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1. Yeo Reum is rather a relatable character. she is trying to find herself, yet she seems to be more of a background character=not special(as many of us feel sometimes). Her goal is to find her own place in the world.
2. her growth does not involve only personal struggle, but also continuous learning from her clients that she substitutes. Those are people with nuanced stories and lives that we, along her, get a peak into. we learn about their past. regrets, and their life lessons
3. the sceneries are no joke, especially if you are like me and trees are your spiritual animal lol
4.no fully-fledged romance but we get crumps dont worry lol! i think the director felt that going for a full romantic story might overshadow the depth this drama wanted to convey. it could have also undermined the sense of self that kang yeoreum has been trying to establish throughout her journey.(maybe that is reserved for the s2)
what i disliked and you might too:
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1.as i ve mentioned it is understandable but maaaaan, i missed kim jae yong while watching this drama lol. i ve been anticipating when he would show up but let s say i was disappointed enough times before making peace with the dramas vision
2.the end was a little bit ummm...it closes with a cliffhanger. i mean it s a so so for me.
3. i wanted more from kang yeo reum more nuance let s say. i still felt like we are just scratching the surface with her.as i mentionned she grew vicariously through her clients, but i would like to see more going on in her own life.(maybe in season 2 )
4. i love this actress yet she sometimes fell short in depicting despair and sadness. she seems a little bit disconnected or flat for me.
overall, a good drama to heal your soul. It lets your mind wander about the meaning of life and success, while you enjoy breath taking landscapes and you get engaged in the human experience. A moment of mother nature's beauty comforting you.
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Drama Special Season 15: The History of Us
21 people found this review helpful
and historians would say they were good friends...
oh well one them is a historian!Can we truly understand someone who is willing to sacrifice their own history for the sake of a crown? The writing captures this internal struggle but I think there should be more to it.
But hey the chemistry between the Crown Prince and the young officer is electric. This dynamic could have been further amplified with a more than that storyline that allowed their relationship to evolve even more organically. Or should I say a different drama with these two.
While this is tragic , it has emotional depth and strong performances, there’s an undeniable potential for an even richer experience with more storytelling that fully exploits the chemistry between its leads. and I can only hope for future projects that allow these actors to shine even brighter. And no to historical negationism.
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