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Cha Eun-woo taking that next step
This is probably the best acting I've seen from Eun-woo without a doubt. Like it feels soo good to see him in roles other than the cold smart guy, seeing this new side of him is just so refreshing, and shows how versatile of an actor he really is. He's portraying his character to absolute perfection. The FL is really beautiful and her acting skills is also pretty good. The other ML is also good, but Eun-woo stole the show for me and was the highlight. Cinematography is just simply amazing and the story got me hooked on the very first episode. I highly recommend this drama if you're into suspense, thriller, and action.Was this review helpful to you?
Love it!
I'll say this once and I hope this review clears your mind. This drama is not a serious historical drama and it's pretty much clear why starting from the title. I feel like people see the tag historical and expect a super story plot cdrama with a serious meaning and deep plot and have high expectations. If you actually watch cdramas you would know there is a genre for everything, historical dramas with a deep plot and then their are this historical dramas that have no sense but they are enjoyable because they are for a good time. My sassy princess CLEARLY is not one serious heavy deep plot cdrama. So people that rate this 3 or even less don't get it. If I'm watching who rules the world I have different expectations than watching My sassy princess. If you can't make a difference about what kind of public this drama is searching for then it's not for you. It doesn't mean the drama is bad.Over all this drama is all I can ask, no slow burn, funny female lead, romantic and same level of teasing male lead. Funny story line where you're meant to have a good time. If you take this drama seriously of course you won't like it. But this drama is just for fun.
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Someone made this at gunpoint.
Putting production aside, which you have to if you're determined to watch this, I have to begin with the cast. All but the two leads are unmemorable and oft squealing. Folk as Bar is adequate and a committed actor. I think under better circumstances, his Bar could have been quite charming.I didn't expect when I looked up Win (Gun) that he might be any older than eighteen. This, possibly because of his struggle to fill Gun's bold shoes. There's nothing wrong with a romantic lead whose soft or less-than-stunning as long as they're written that way. There's no equivocating, Gun was written for someone charming, muscular, and worthy of fawning. Win's Gun (I'm sorry Win) is none of these things and we're meant to believe it because the other characters say so.
The plot of this show is negligible. Undoubtedly the short run of this show is in part to blame for the jumbled mess of the plot. There were seeds of events, such as competing love interests and a half-assed faculty competition, that suggested to me a once-complete story. The micro inclusion of these elements was more confusing and unmoving than it might have been had they cut them entirely or chosen to focus on decidedly less and written them to their full potential.
In all honesty, I sped through the last episode as I had had enough by the start of the third. I was never able to latch onto any characters and the conclusion of their relationship was unconvincing.
If all you ask for in a show is a happy ending, go for it I guess.
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Shining characters trapped in a drab plot line
Standout characters immediately grab your attention, and Do You Like Brahms? starts with one of the strongest first 4 episodes of 2020 premieres, second only to Flower of Evil. The two main leads, a burned out superstar and a struggling artist, seem cliché, but their foil is fully explored and surprisingly relatable. However, little substance is built on the foundation of their relationship. You better understand and relate with each character, with each episode, but the evolution of their relationship stagnates. Either DYLB? should have been told in fewer episodes or bigger dramatics were needed to stimulate a more engaging reaction.Story:
The contrast between the quality of characters vs plot is stark by the ending of Do You Like Brahms? From leads to supports, the characters have an incredible amount of depth. Even the motivations of the antagonists are mired in complexity. As a character drama, DYLB? excels by making the unique lives and challenges of musicians relatable to casual drama viewers.
As a thrilling romance or gripping melodrama, it falls short. The love triangle(s) that is crux to the plot of DYLB? is presented in the first couple episodes, and its potential outcome feels inevitable (i.e. miscommunication, confusion, heartbreak). The lack of suspense transforms into frustration as the middle segment of DYLB? trundles toward the finale following a subdued climax.
I want to include one last comment about time skips and flashbacks. They were not always crystal clear, but I appreciate that the director did not baby the audience with title cards like “1 year ago”, “1 month later”, etc. Overall, the plot is the main weakness in an otherwise well directed drama.
Acting:
The combination of character design and cast brings to life the fictional characters on screen. Park Eun Bin adds another excellent role after her underappreciated performance in Hot Stove League. Kim Min Jae has a long list of great roles for such a young actor, almost comparable to Yeo Jin Goo. Their interpretations of their characters just make sense. They act and behave like genuine human beings instead of characters.
The rest of the cast is equally decorated, but I will specifically praise Choi Dae Hoon and Baek Ji Won for creating characters that knew all the right buttons to push for maximum irritation. The way they frustrate the viewers and the main leads is the definition of entertainment, in stark contrast to my frustration with the flat plot.
Music:
More so than the characters and cast, the music within Do You Like Brahms? rises above First, the use of classical music is slightly cheesy and often used as a plot device, but it is refreshing to hear a different sound from the standard drama ballads. Second, the OST of DYLB? is anything but “standard”. The same musical producer from Hotel Del Luna worked on this drama, and the quality of the OST is unparalleled in 2020. It is hit after hit sung by some of the biggest names in Korean music, from Taeyeon to Heize. It is good enough to listen without even watching DYLB?
Rewatch Value:
The lack of dynamic plot and explosive confrontations make it hard to justify a rewatch. This weakness even bleeds into the strong character designs. The main female lead starts off as a relatable, struggling young adult, but she seems too perfect as the story drags on. Being untalented or soft-spoken is far from a real character flaw, and her immaculate actions wear her initial relatability thin. I may be overly critical since I started DYLB? with high hopes. Unfortunately, it falls short of the best drama of 2020 which currently belongs to Crash Landing on You (depends if you consider it a 2019 or 2020 drama) or Flower of Evil.
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It's a revenge story and while watching I really felt the angst of the characters and it was quite clear why they were holding on to their feelings and what motivation there was for their actions. This also showed how in life there is never a simple love or hate and how the human character is so complex you can never predict how a person is goinig to act on what he is presented with.
The acting was point on without anyone overacting. Everyone was so natural in portraying their characters. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and getting involved in their lives.
The music was very good and was fit for the different scenarios.
I am not sure whether I will be able to re-watch this at once because it was quite a tear jerker. However I know that in the future it is one I would not hesitate to watch again.
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Unlike most j-doramas, this drama concentrate with in depth with one character only, and most other characters are seen from his point of view. The story starts with our protagonist's first day at the university. He thinks he's destined for greatness, and everyone else is beneath his capabilities. Little did he know of the hardship and competition he'd need to face to reach anything close to greatness. As much as comedy is at the forefront of everything that is dealt with, it is undeniably a coming of age piece through and through. University time is a tricky time. It's a time where they need to leave their childhood behind and actually take hold of their future to accomplish their goals and fulfill their dreams, but the road is not only bumpy, but also not clear at all. It gets more obscure when you haven't set a specific goal and only dream of the reward. I think most of us go through this phase at one point in our life, but this dorama gives us an exposition of it in an extreme sense through the eyes of Moyuru Honoo.
I have to say, I cannot imagine what this show would've turned out with the hands of a lesser actor than Yugira Yuuya. He acted it out, with every inch of his body and soul. With all the things his character goes through, with all its craziness and patheticness, he still manages to be cute and makes an adorable grumpy face. I can't think of him as anything short of a genius. It isn't surprising that he's Canne's youngest prize winner back in 2004. That guy is to watch out for! Another role that stood out mostly thanks to its portrayal by the actor is Yasuda Ken's Hideaki Anno. He was flawless as the genius workaholic geek with no sense of awareness of what is going on around him. Anno is everything Honoo fails to become, for better or for worse. Another honorary mention is Muro Tsuyushi as Hiroyuki Yamaga, with his - my meal ticket- face he does. All the other characters were pretty normal people, and we don't really go in depth with their personality, but the cast still does a good job in portraying them.
The music perfectly sets the tone of the era, and adds more hilarity to the situation. The direction here had an image and knew exactly what to aim for.
This drama is a must watch for anyone who loves japanese comedies, specially over the top ones, also for anime fan. People not familiar with that type of don't like the over the top slap stick comedy may have trouble accepting it, but if you give it a chance, I'm pretty sure you'll find a gem here.
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A Kiddie Wuxia
To start and continue watching this drama, viewers need to remain patient. Many of the actions of the main characters are childish but by the middle of the drama, they become more responsible and mature. Nonetheless, the overall writing still comes across as immature and at times, nonsensical. By the end of the drama, I breathed a sigh of relief as I congratulate myself for enduring and completing it eventually.This drama started shooting with the pandemic hitting shortly after. It stopped shooting until the authority lifted the lockdown. I was really surprised that it managed to finish shooting and cutting, and released within the same year before the end of 2020, all done in a matter of a short few months.
Fierce fighting erupts among viewers on almost every discussion board. Wang Yi Bo’s fans are angry at Zhao Li Ying for playing the female lead as she is a lot older than him, and fans claim they don’t feel any chemistry between the pair. They also attack any viewers who criticize their idol. Zhao Li Ying’s fans come to her defense and attack Wang Yi Bo’s fans. Impartial viewers are also viciously attacked for their honest opinions which can be merciless towards the two main leads and the overall production, and are labeled as haters.
Accordingly, the drama is adapted from a very popular novel, You Fei, which literally means Bandits. However, for the drama, the word “Fei” (bandits) is changed to the word “Fei” (jade) as in the name of the female lead character Zhou “Fei” which means jade. From here, we can see the original story emphasizes on the “bandits” as the 48 Camps imply, but the adaptation has shifted the focus to Zhou Fei (Zhao Li Ying). Many readers claim the original work has been butchered. This is also confirmed by Zhao Li Ying herself when shooting started. According to readers, large sections of the original story were deleted and replaced with badly conceived plots and writings, rendering the whole story fragmented and ruined.
Zhao Li Ying is convincing with her styling as a very young girl who is strong and rebellious. Her makeup may look a bit cakey closeup, but she looks fine from afar. She looks tired and listless though. Wang Yi Bo is perhaps a bit out of his comfort zone but his character as a cocky and flamboyant Xie Yun is adorable and Wang Yi Bo’s acting is passable.
What I Like:
• I like the wuxia elements here – justice and righteousness.
• I like the storyline – the kids mature, each learning their respective skills and take on more responsibilities and become the leaders for their sect. There’s a lurking conspiracy, a treasure hunt, and the fighting for time to save a life.
• I like the OSTs especially the tune played by Xie Yun on the recorder.
• I like the characters of the two main leads, Zhou Fei and Xie Yun, both strong and composed, though the Xie Yun character is also playful and cocky.
What I Don’t Like:
• Horrendous screen writing.
• Camerawork is everywhere and haphazard.
• Special effects are embarrassing.
• Immature script writing. YouTubers can write and shoot better.
• The dialogues can be funny but out of place most of the times.
• Dubbing is off at times, especially with the Xie Yun character as if he’s inhaled nitrogen gas.
• The characters are inconsistent. At times, they show leadership, at times they’re simply dumb. The kids lack the sense of priority and urgency. Everything sounds like fun to them even when they’re under hot pursuit by their enemies.
• The martial arts fighting scenes are inconsistent. Sometimes, they are passable. Sometimes, my cats fight better.
My Verdict
Do not hold high expectations for this drama just because it stars Zhao Li Ying and Wang Yi Bo. Overall, I don't hate this drama, but I don't particularly love it either. And yes, there are kissing scenes – one just for a fleeting moment, the other from afar, and quickly blurred. The chemistry for the main couple is not 100% but also not totally zero. This drama is basically like a rom-com in kiddie wuxia style. Watch it if there’s nothing better to watch.
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Bai Lu’s Xi LiangChen is very endearing, so very much more so than she was in Legends. Being a woman who has gone through boot camp myself, I could certainly relate to this character, even if we don’t have to pretend to be boys. She expresses the difficulty, determination, and feeling of accomplishment very well.
Xu Kai was perfect for Gu YanZhen. I can imagine his career skyrocketed after this. He was able to go from playboy jerk to valiant young man without ever once annoying me. Which is rare. Is he ever not adorable? Ok that may be annoying just a little bit.
The chemistry between the main leads is uh-may-zing. Like, so crazy intense that you just watch kind of hypnotized by it like a snake with the charmer’s weaving. I think my eyes may have gotten dry from not blinking when those two would start up. And it makes you laugh so hard at times during this show while they’re working their relationship out. Brilliant writing there.
It was really Toby Lee that had me cheering for him though. It may be my tendency to root for the underdog or my preference for the still-water-that-runs-deep personality, but he was the quietly complex and noble Shen Junshan in in a way that had me looking forward to seeing him every time.
The supporting cast was spectacular. IT was SO SO NICE to see Hong Yao play a good person. I’m so used to seeing him in villain roles that I was already cringing to see what he was going to do this time, and I have to admit it made me enjoy his Shen TingBai just a little bit more when I came to realize that hey, he’s pretty freaking amazing. To the point where I wanted to poke Wu Jiayi’s otherwise fun ManTing in the head for the way she treated him. Why do we as girls perpetually go after the ones we shouldn’t and develop blinders to the ones we should be seeing? At any rate he was kind of my hero as well in this. Which is probably going to really mess with my head the next time I see him as a bad guy. Le sigh.
I will say that I absolutely was beguiled by the under-story of Guo ShuTing and Huo XiaoYu. It added complexity to the show that couldn’t have been achieved if it had revolved entirely around the younger set. Both actors did amazingly in their roles as well.
There were some silly parts- that crazy and slightly weird fireworks party that YanZhen threw for LiangChen that had me cringing a bit. But…. That everyone there just rolled their eyes instead of instantly manning an anti-gay revolt was refreshing. Yay.
Overall it wasn’t profoundly deep or anything but it was fun, engaging, at times riveting, and definitely something I would watch again in the future. The OST was pretty good too, and suited the drama well. Watch it.
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The twist in the story isn't too hard to figure out, but the story is more than enjoyable regardless. You'll laugh, you'll cry, but you'll be sure to enjoy every second of it.
I was immediately drawn into the story and characters, already rooting for Haruo within the first few minutes of the story. I actually cried pretty hard at the end, too, which makes this the first drama I have ever cried over. (though in my case, that's only because it really hit home with me)
I really wish I had a better way to word just how beautiful this drama is, but I hope you'll take my word for it and give it a try. It will forever leave a bittersweet impression in your mind and is without a doubt one of the best dramas out there.
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Lynn Hung pretty much steals the show. She plays a gorgeous model who is out to net a wealthy tycoon. She is the discerning buyer who is out for the best deal. For sale is her beauty and charm and she can sweet talk her way into any man's heart. She is friendless: women hate her because of her beauty and success, men hate her because they can't keep her. She's off to a better conquest. The best parts are her manipulation of men. Her rejects are out for revenge. I never laughed so hard at her scheming.
Enter Vaness Wu as the poor, babbling, lovelorn guy whom she falls for. I would have liked him better without the punk rock hair, but he is romantic. Some of his rescue scenes are a bit slapstick with silly suspense music accompaniment. At times it seems the drama is a romance spoof with some of the silly melodrmatic scenes, especially at the end.
But even if you don't like the story, you will feel like you are watching a runway fashion show. In every scene Lynn Hung has a gorgeous wardrobe and unique hairdo. She is possibly the most beautiful actress out there. In real life she is a Chinese supermodel. I wish there were more shows with her devouring men. This watch was delicious!
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This was so brilliant I wanted more
3 short stories, each tackling various different issues (which I won't disclose), each of which were brilliant. It was like art, you got to watch it to understand it and appreciate it.What makes this a must watch:
- Brilliant acting
- Great use of music at high points (and lack of)
- Brilliant writing - both dialogue and script (it was both natural and yet at the same time, so intriguing.. like the ideas the show tackled blew my mind. How did the writer think of those and how they executed it.. so so brilliant)
- Great execution; this could not have been pulled off without great direction and screenplay. An example would be the way his supernatural power was depicted with the different sized books and detailing in the books
I love the little details like how the ML wore the same clothes throughout.. I don't know how to explain it but it gave this feel of intimacy - like how we were watching his world through his mind the way he read others' minds.
I wanted each story / concept to be explored more but I guess the shortness also added to the charm? It's like the show was teasing you with these concepts and giving you the bare minimum, then leaving that with you to ponder on...
The only thing I would say that this drama really lacked was exploring the ML's eccentricity. We got to know him through the stories but I wish we saw more of what made him the way he was, the kind of mangas he wrote, and why he was so recluse..
I hope we'll get a 2nd season? Or the writer deciding to make more of such short stories because the show definitely deserved more time and has so much more to tell.
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This show is overall amazing. Fantastic casting- the actors are amazing and I especially like Qu Man Ting. The characters are endearing and they're well developed; the plot was pretty good as well. It was amazing to see Gu Yan Zhen's character development and Li Wen Zhong's growth. Shen Ting Bai's devotion was sweet; this show was filled with amazing and flexible actors as well.
The reason there's a 9.0 on story is because sometimes the characters are so inexorably stupid. They could easily just shoot someone but they have to be a hero and fight them with their hands instead. That's the only problem I have with the show; otherwise, nothing's wrong.
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My Little Lover: Minami-kun no Koibito
20 people found this review helpful
This drama was a treat, I went in knowing nothing about it and I ended up loving it. Short and sweet, this is worth the watch for any cutesy romantic fans out there such as myself. It is definitely a unique story, and has a very fairy tail type of theme to it, so it almost feels as if you're watching a Disney movie in some ways.
The reason for an 8.5 for acting is because it seemed to take a little bit for the actors to warm up, but towards they end they did a fantastic job. Minami-kun was a bit too stiff for me in the beginning, and although I'm sure that was because of his character roll, I feel like it could have been pulled off differently to where it didn't seem just like bad acting if you know what I mean.
Chiyomi did wonderful acting the whole way through, as well as the rest of the cast, I really got attached to all of the characters of the story. I would love to see her in more dramas in the future!
I dont normally rewatch dramas, but I would most certainly give this one another go, just because of it's short length, charm, and easy going story.
I most certainly recommend this drama!
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This review may contain spoilers
Wow. Just... wow.
I don't tend to give 10s out easily but I couldn't, in good conscience, give this show anything less. It was one of the best BLs I've seen to date and I'm so glad I came across it.At first, the serious tone of the show had me putting it off for a while, thinking I needed to be prepared emotionally before getting into it. However, even though it was a more serious and mature plot, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.
The story was intriguing and kept a steady pace of being interesting and exciting all the way through. I was afraid that it might get confusing when there are twins and hidden identities but it was super easy to follow and Gun did a phenomenal job at portraying the personality differences between Black and White; even when White is pretending to be Black.
In fact, the acting from the entire cast was great and I can't imagine anyone doing a better job in any role. There was a range of characters who were both good and bad in their own ways. It's nice to see a very human response from these shows where we are reminded that no one is perfect and, while we may have similar goals in mind, different people will act differently to achieve those goals.
As far as the music goes, I never really pay attention to soundtracks since it's always the same 2 songs throughout the series. This show, however, had an awesome and diverse soundtrack.. so much so that it was probably the first time I ever took notice of the music in a BL.
With a show like this where there are hidden identities and plot twists, it could either have a high rewatch value where the viewer wants to go back and see if they catch the foreshadowing or a very low rewatch value where the viewer is left feeling unsatisfied after investing all that time just to find out a cop-out ending.
Personally, I'm more the former in this situation because I feel like any and all revelations and occurrences were believable and only made the story better. That's a really hard thing to do when dealing with issues where there are so many opinions; not just among viewers but within the show itself and it's characters. Even if you don't agree with a characters method, you can still understand them and their motives. They even address that within the show by asking if the gang are vigilantes or heroes and it walks a fine line throughout. Some people might be put off by all the political talk but it is thought provoking and important, IMO.
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I have no idea, I just found this film in one of my collections while I had nothing better to do so I just watched it.
2) Storyline/Plot:
This was a multiple stories film, oe of the genres that I like to watch.
Positive points:
*A romatic comedy that had more interesting events than other films from the same genre.
*The three love stories were combined together in a way that would allow the final twist to happen.
Negative points:
*The film's story isn't unique or special. Actually, it was full of cliche and cheesy moments.
*The stories took a boring level at some point.
Story: 6/10
3) Acting/Cast:
*Lee Sun Gyun and Lee Min Ki were probably the main reason I continued watching this film until the end not only because of shallow feelings but their characters seemed more appealing than other characters in this film.
*The acting was a strength point that counts for this drama but I can't say the same about charachter because most of them felt annoying most of the time.
Cast: 6.5/10
Acting: 8/10
4)The ending:
An intresting twist accured near the end which made this film a little special than other romantic comedy films.
The ending: 8.5/10
5) My impression (How did affect me):
*There were a lot of boring moments but I didn't fell asleep so that's a good point.
*I only enjoyed the twist near the end but I will probably forget this film very soon.
My impression: 4.5/10
6) Overall:
*If you like romantic comedies then you may like this if you don't expect much from it.
Overall: 6/10.
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