The Long Goodbye is another adaptation of the very popular Raymond Chandler’s novel. While watching this drama you would get the exact feeling of watching an old Hollywood noir film with all of those pitch-black moments and intriguing tension. However, that doesn’t deny the persistent existence of Japanese fingerprints such as post-war atmosphere and some elements that represent Japan alone.
This somewhat mini-drama depicts a long mystery, it’s not the type of murder that will keep you on your toes to know the truth but it’s certainly the type that creeps into you to give you a nice blow at the end. The suspense part wasn’t fully used but the mystery build-up and revelation were absolutely captivating. For some reason, this drama wasn’t slowly-sailing at all, you’d expect such a drama to become heavily gloomy at some point but it didn’t. Of course it wasn’t humorous either but the use of the dark aura came with moderation; the poisonous relationships, the filthy lies and the intolerable truth didn’t come in one blow. It was slowly building up until it was mature enough to be revealed.
The name of Asano Tadanobu as the main lead of this drama was enough to make me blindly watch this; it’s not only because he’s one of the greatest Japanese actors alive or because he’s one of my all-times favorite actors; it’s also because the man can choose his roles so well. He’s also films’ star so getting the chance to see him in a drama is one of the better news I read this year. Leaving that aside, his portrayal of Banji Masuzawa was consuming, although his character was silent and he couldn’t do much about it but he was able to make it perfectly charismatic and when he snaps; all you have to do is sit back and see how high-profile acting is supposed to be like.
Other actors for this drama were also amazing. First there’s Ayano Go; someone who slowly building his acting to reach greater levels; he was able to make his character quite appealing even with the little running time. Second, there’s the definition of Japanese beauty Koyuki; she was impressive in Aiko’s role, I had a difficult time comparing this to her previous “innocent” housewife roles. Finally, there’s Furuta Arata; man is a very-underrated Japanese veteran actor, he rarely got roles to shine in them but in The Long Goodbye, he was finally given justice.
The cinematography for this drama was quite catching; Japan in the 1950’s was brought to current days with glamour. As for the music, it was too perfectly-chosen to fit the drama’s developments and tension built up. Other than that, the narration must be the strongest point amongst side effects. Takito’s way of narrating was too intriguing to describe, not only his wonderful tone or use of words; but there’s also this artistic and vibrating meanings behind it.
Watch if:
-You’re looking for a different type of Japanese dramas.
-You like Raymond Chandler’s novel because this is a fine adaptation.
-You’re into dark, slowly-building types of mysteries.
-You like Asano (Duh!)
Do not watch if:
-You’re looking for your standard Japanese detective drama.
-You can’t handle slow-sailing mysteries.
-You dislike noir dramas.
The Long Goodbye is an unusual Japanese detective drama that falls between noir and mystery. It may not be to everyone’s liking but it’s absolutely a drama that was able to distinguish itself from the crowd.
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Drama Special Series Season 3: Adolescence Medley
24 people found this review helpful
I think AM deserved more attention. It has similar vibe as School 2013 but with more romance essence and Reply 1997 without Kpop things.I love every bit of humor parts in it. So funny,cheery,captivating & I feel like smiling throughout the episodes. The sweetness of it bromance part will make you become more in love with this bunch of high school boys. Without one of them, they're incomplete. It also made me miss my schoolhood days aloot -.-
What actually attract me first to AM is Kwak Dong Yeon. I love his performance in My Husband's Family. He really knows how to act despite this is only his second drama.His so many expressions is his charm. Ahh I really like this boy. He have something in him that can attract ppl. I can see that he has a bright future ahead as an actor. He's like the second Yoo Seung Ho to me :D And the heroine,she reminds me much of Sulli(fx). The one new who stealing my attention here is Yeok Ho. He's so good potraying his character as Brown Bear.Such a cute nickname though :P I might follow his next drama after this. Not forget to mention the other supporting actor like Kwak Jung Wook as a BF of Jong Woo.He's soooo cute & looks young with his haircut in this drama. All the actors really did a very2 good job here.
No need to say more. A must watched drama!! Even if you're not a high school student anymore *like me*, you will love this for sure :)
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One word. MASTERPIECE.
So, I just finished watching the last episode of "a tale of thousand stars" and it left me with so many emotions that i decided to write a review in order to pour them all out.For everyone who is still contemplating wether you should give this drama a try or not, i want to help you by saying "YES, you should definitly watch it". Without giving too much away, everything in this show is just so spot on. The story, the characters, the soundtrack, the cinematography, ... You can practically feel, how much work and thought were put into every single scene.
Everything makes sense. There's a read thread going through each episode, starting from the very first one to the finale. It never loses focus on the original plotpoint, still giving the characters and the storyline room for development.
What i personally loved most about the show, is the complexity of the different characters and their relationships towards each other. Their actions and feelings are not just black and white, right and wrong. There is so much going on on the inside and they were written so cleverly, that despite their complexity, they are still relatable and the viewer can empathize with them.
Last but surely not least, let's talk about he incredible chemistry between the two male protagonists. Every time Tian and Phupha interact with each other - heck, every time they even just look at each other - you can feel the tension and electricity going on between them. There are literal sparks flying around them. I salute to Earth and Mix for their fantastic performance.
In conclusion, I can nothing but recommend this show, It truly moved my heart and i am sure it will move yours as well.
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ON REPEAT PLAY! WHAT A SATISFYING ENDING To a Fantastic Series
I have to stop myself screaming while watching the finale, my sister was telling me Id wake up the whole neighborhood. Yes, Im an old guy and I screamed like a 15 year old high school girl.Even after watching the finale for the 5th time, i still feel the same way when i watched it the first time. I have never been so happy for characters in a show, and i have never been this attached to a show - im addicted!
Also, I have never been prouder for a Filipino content like i am proud of this one - ample plot, smart and timely dialogue, and above all - amazing acting from amazing actors.
After watching tens (if not a hundred) BL series, it is such a good change to see one which is not setup in a school or a universiry. The idea of social media style cinemathography is not original but was geniusly utilized here. Who knew that this idea of a love story in this time could work so well and has added to the viewers eagerness and excitement whenever the 2 characters meet. Also, what an amazing writing!
Elijah and Kokoy are both a revelation. I specially liked their little nuisances and quirkiness - its really like watching two real life gay guys and not straight guys playing gay characters. And i really really love the idea that the 2 lead characters are flat out gay and not straight guys suddenly realizing they like a guy. You see, gay characters can be good too, if it is written properly. Adriana is also such a breath of fresh air as Pearl, she is such a beautiful and lovable character, i kept seeing myself in her shoes. I just love her.
I am amazed that a small production outfit can come up with this amazing series. It is so.much better than all the shit that you on primetime TV. I am genuinely interested to see the other works of the director and/or writers.
I hope this series finds a wider audience cause they deserve it, and im really glad and cant wait for the spinoff and the season 2.
Again this is an amazing BL series , maybe one of the best BL series not just from the Philippines but from all over. Thank you so much for this.
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Romance & Bromance at its best in (still warlike) post World War II years on once Joseon´s soil
"Road No. 1" is an intriguing KDrama that takes a close look at the (still warlike) post-war years in Korea after 1945. On impulse we might think of the Korean War of 1950-53, but for the Korean people the struggle between North and South began much earlier (see below if you like).There are definitely plenty of tragic fates and stories to tell from that time. "Road No. 1" is one of them, splendidly captured within 20 episodes full of human struggle for life and love. Here you will find romance and bromance at its best. Emotively staged against a backdrop of uniforms, guns, grenades, explosions, barbed wire, the 38th parallel and Road No. 1.
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Side Note: ---- HISTORIC BACKGROUND ----
The 'No. 1' is the road that connects Seoul and Pyongyang - after the end of World War II in 1945, these were the two largest cities in Korea, having been annexed by Japan since 1910 as the Chōsen province. After the surrender of Japan, the province of Chōsen was (like Japan itself) occupied by the Allies. The Soviet Union and the USA, as trustee administrators, had divided the country along the 38th parallel into two occupation zones. In fact, the Korean people weren't too keen on (again) not being given state sovereignty.
With the departure of the Japanese, the struggle for the future of the country began - a struggle between different visions and perspectives. The allies favored the political positions they liked - e.g. Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong with Kim Il-sung a communist state in which only one politically active party should exist; the USA a Western-style constitution for the South with a Christian-capitalist orientation. However, there actually was also a nationalist, anti-foreign grouping within the country that (by tradition) particularly opposed the American occupation and its Western values. They engaged in a guerrilla war that began as early as 1946. That is, where "Road No. 1" has its roots and starts off. And that's a good thing, because this aspect is sometimes lost in the historical representation of the western hemisphere...
This resistance struggle´s position was much closer to communist ideas than to the western value system, which still seemed rather foreign up to that point. Just because the former colonial ruler Japan was one of the losers of war, the former Joseon doesn't have to be happy to make a 100° about-face towards Western democracy... What the country or its people wanted was actually not seriously considered. The promised election did not come about. It simply fell underneath the wheels of the Cold War. For the Soviet Union and the USA, Korean policy was based on post-war events and global political muscle flexing. However, for the Korean people, who had never been never tired of resisting oppression under colonial rule, things just kind of went on. From the rain in the eaves...
--- People's Republic of Korea - a non-starter ---
In fact, it completely escaped my historical knowledge that BEFORE the division into a communist North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) dominated by the Soviet Union and China plus a South Korea occupied by the USA (Republic of Korea), there had also been a KOREAN vision for the future of the peninsula. After Japan's capitulation, the 'People's Republic of Korea' (NOT EQUAL to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea alias North Korea) was proclaimed as a provisional government on September 12, 1945 for BOTH zones of occupation. Initially, the basis of the new constitution and government was supposed to be created from a network of people's committees. The program was radically social. The aim was to establish Korea's complete independence and a democratically governed public life for a free people.
In the north, the People's Republic was taken 'seriously' by the communist occupiers (effortlessly, so to speak, due to the similar attitude). In the south, however, the military controlled political events were based on a rigorous anti-communist attitude. Of course, the USA did not like this communist-affine new political perspectives towards the peninsula at all. In 'their' southern provinces, they even went so far as to ban the ´People's Republic´ (purely because of its communist ideas). This fueled resentment... and there it was again: resistance.
--- National Uprising ---
In 1946, the so-called Autumn Harvest Uprising marked the beginning of public, sometimes massive, resistance, which took on further forms in 1947 and finally culminated in a national uprising in 1948. The USA had to react quickly and so they sponsored the lesser evil: the elections for the first 'Republic of Korea' in August 1948: the autocratic Rhee Syng-man. Although he was not in principle friendly to the USA, nor was he an enthusiastic democrat or even an advocate of human rights, he was opportunistic enough to also cooperate in the interests of the USA. He was also anti-Japanese and anti-communist. South Korea was given a Western-style constitution, and from then on it had to be guided by Christian and capitalist values. Of course, after the South voted, the North had to follow suit (with the formation of the DPRK).
The Korean people were thus separated - politically, geographically, economically and socially - and had been incited against each other by propaganda and degraded to the pawn of global political muscle flexing. Industry, resources and energy supply were concentrated in the north, while two-thirds of the 30 million Koreans were living in the south. And they initially fought against the paternalism of the American military. Between 1948 and 1950, guerrilla fights against the South Korean Republic's military and police cost the lives of around 7,500 official security forces and around 34,000 civilians - even before the actual Korean War even began. The people strived for unity. But politically there was only an either-or (communism vs. ultra-nationalism).
--- Korean War with international participation ---
In 1950, Kim Il-sung made use of the situation in the south as well as of his military and material superiority. He wanted unite the country in his interests (and under his constitution). Rhee Syng-man had his military resist as best they could until international intervention by the UN led by the USA actually pushed back the North Korean army. However, in view of the new situation and the global dimension, China rushed to North Korea´s aid. There was fierce fighting, on land and at sea. At the end, the armistice, which is still in force today, includes the concession against the background of the Cold War that there will still be the Republic of Korea in the south and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north.
After ca. 2 million civilians, around 1 million Korean and Chinese soldiers, as well as ca. 40,000 UN soldiers having given their lives to this war, everything remained just as it had been before. In sum: A divided country that had been cheated of its autonomous sovereignty. Patronized Koreans. A people with split identity. Separated families.
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The beginning scene and the ending scene are both too long and repetitive, to the point that they have no desired impact. This movie is about a rise and fall of an actor, so it makes a lot of sense to have these almost identical scenes to complete the message. But that theater scene is just way too vague and boring and it barely makes any sense. How I understood it was that Oh Young was talking to himself not the woman. In the beginning the director of the play told him that if he doesn't want to acknowledge his co actress then he should go talk to a mannequin doll that is... to himself.
He talks to the doll, imagines it to be the actress, he wants to go to the beginning and start over on a better note. "I wish we could go to how we were." He is talking to himself, he wants to go back to being himself and get free from the role he had been trapped into. The actress says in the beginning "If we get a chance, I hope we could do it again." So in his imagination he looks for her because he believes that she can help him. She also fell from her position and ended up on the stage of that theater. She was starting over and he was only starting. That's what Oh Young realizes only at the end of the movie when he mentally goes back to that stage. The script is about love, but Oh Young doesn't talk about love, he talks about himself and his own desires. "Getting back together and loving someone" is all about getting himself back to reality and learning to love himself. He finally sees himself in that woman. "I'm not that bad, see?" he tries to convince himself. That's why in the end he finally gets his role right, he finally understands what acting is all about. Not losing yourself but being what you are.
Oh Young is a narcissist and he has no control of himself whatsoever, when he gets into a role he really gets into it for good. After he leaves the theater he gets to play gangsters on the big screens and he becomes that gangster because he gets too immersed into his roles. His only role models were the cocky actors, show business gangsters, and his manager who tries to whore him around. Oh Young gets out of control and lives his life like there are no consequences of anything he does, he rapes women and hangs out with questionable people. He is bad yet I was left wishing that his character would have been darker. His only link to reality is his mother but since he Lee Joon doesn't get deep enough into the darkness the contrast between Oh Young who talks to his mother on Oh Young who has turned bad, that contrast is not strong enough.
At some point, Oh Young meets the gangster who almost makes him sell his life for something scary, Oh Young's cousin saves him, but apparently that was not enough for him to grasp the reality. By the way, notice that the gangster man was the only one who actually respected Oh Young, he is the only one who acknowledges the boy after his fall.
No matter what, Oh Young loves acting and even after falling down he gets up and starts over, even if that means becoming a punching bag again. But now we see that other new actor has become cocky too, immersed in his own fame. Everyone falls in this movie, everyone goes up and down except those on the top, the gangsters and the directors, they stay at their respective places. Actors are just tools to them.
For sensitive viewers, this movie might be too hard of a nut to crack. A lot of people were shocked that Lee Joon's character actually raped someone. Get a grip people, this is a movie about those kind of issues. Pay attention to the summary and warnings. Overall, I fount the script too messy. This film tried to be very artistic but tried too much thus failed miserably. The message was displayed too vaguely but not vaguely enough and at the same time too blatantly but too vaguely to be gritty in a cool way, there was no sensibility whatsoever. So instead of being cool the movie turned out lame. Nothing had an impact and everything just melted into a dull draggy boredom.
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This review may contain spoilers
im crying form the inside :( i want season 3 like right now but first of all lee yi kyung we missed u i really want him to come back so i hope what happend in this episode means that he's coming back ,Noh min woo you rock ;) im so excited for season 3 when you join force with Do ji han , and doctor Baek you really need some romance ;) ,and prosectuors Eun really needs some romance too , and i really wanted more action like season 1 but still it was awesome so i dont know if i can wait another year for season 3 :( but i will try when im crying Was this review helpful to you?
When i watched the first episode i thought it was going to be just like almost any other drama out there, girl meets super rich and handsome boy, they fight and fall in love. But this drama isn't like that!! It's about three different couples, who all have their own problems. It's about growing up and love!! It is very realistic!
The actors were also great!! They showed alot of emotions, there were also some kids who played in the drama , and they were awesome!! One kid (meeju) was so cute i had to cry .. Hehe
This drama is light-hearted and fun to watch, but it isn't an immature story, it also makes you think about and it makes you cry till your eyes are red and puffy...
Ooh and one thing i was very pleased about was that no-one died or got ill in this drama, because of personal reasons i don't like dramas where someone gets ill and dies..
I think that this drama isn't that known because it's about married couples and pregnancies, but don't let that get in your way to not watch this drama. Because it's finally something different, and close to real life!! If you think this drama isn't for you to watch because your not married and a bit to young to do so, you still have to watch it!! I'm also not married andnot thinking about it because i'm a bit to young , but i still thought it was great!!!
So please consider watching this drama because it certainly won't let you down!!
Thank you for reading!! And i'm sorry for some mistakes in my english grammar!!
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Forever REMEMBER [ED]
Revenge in a court without justice, is it possible?Suspense-horror series with an intriguing twist and message.
Viewer description is STRONGLY advised because "Remember 15" is indeed VERY GORY AND INTENSE, it´s no exaggeration. You have been warned.
SHORT VERSION:
A story about a group of people who traveled to an island on the 5th death anniversary of a girl they all knew. All of them carry their own dark past with heavy secrets, which were very well portrayed and underscored by the production. Only the story lacked a bit of coherence.
I REMEMBER 15 reasons why you should watch this series
1. The protagonists are ordinary people and that´s why it is so capturing.
2. Every person has their individual flaws and personality traits.
2. The concept of this series is not far from what could happen in that kind of situation.
4. The concept is interesting.
5. The problems of these young adults are various.
6. You never know what will happen. It´s random.
7. It is not ONLY random and unfounded slaughter.
8. The crew did the best they could with their budget.
9. The art department is fascinating.
10. It has characters that represent LGBTQI+.
11. It has characters that are facing disadvantages in life (sickness, disability)
12. The opening of this series is vibey.
13. The opening soundtrack is addicting.
14. They had a lot of fun while filming on set. (As shown in the interviews)
15. Amazing actors, Amazing crew.
DETAILED VERSION:
STAFF APPRECIATION / Production
In the beginning, I really would like to point out the staff´s work in this series. The Art Director [Kissada Namuang] / Art Department [Sumat Namuang, Suphachai Aemsoem, ...] & the Prop Master [Kittuchot Lumloet] really did an insane performance as well as the actors. It´s even more mind-blowing when you keep in mind that it´s the first main role/ big role for some (3) of them, at least on MDL.
The music is well combined with the mood of the series and all individual parts work well together. The opening, an example of the superb combination of cinematography, lights, shadows, colors, and music, is very addicting for me to watch. I could write about this for days.
PLOT 6.0 >> 5.5
12 young adults return to the deserted island, the place where Lyla died five years ago to pay tribute to Lyla and find out who sent a message over the phone to the deceased girl. However, the closer it gets to the truth the more they discover their cruel past. The suspense remains until the last episode, with a few cliché twists.
In terms of content, it approaches a well-known American show that drew a lot of criticism in 2017: 13 Reasons Why. However, while the situations and topics are somewhat alike the approach of each plot is totally different. 13RW focuses on drawing society's attention to urgent problems and crises of young people and improving classmates in their actions. However, while „Remember 15“also spreads awareness for mental health, LGBTQI+, and toxic personalities/ relationships, the approach and outcome are surely more brutal and more dystopian than in other series with the same trope/topic. What kind of rules and morals do you expect from traumatized teenagers facing death on an island far from a normal and structured civilization?
The more important question to ask is what can we learn from this show?
ACTORS 7.5
As for Zee Pruk Panich, Jimmy Karn Kritsanaphan, and Title Tanatorn Saenangkanikorn, they convince the audience of their role. Here I personally highlight Zee (Bew), he had to portray such a difficult character. My rating can also be very much based on the fact that I have „dealt“with his acting skills the most so far and therefore have "high expectations" which he bravely met in „Remember 15“. Especially when considering what kind of role he had to portray.
However, all characters are complicated and multilayered. In general, I would say that the overall acting is solid. At least nobody was a thorn in my side. Personally. On the contrary, even the rather new and inexperienced actors played their roles well [Noon Khingkarn Boonma = Nest, Boss Daranpope Charmpoonod = Mac, Sairung Prapakon Chairak = Lilly]. Hardly anything to complain about. Especially Sairung had a tough role to play. My utmost respect to Sairung, Nut, and Pruk for accepting and embodying these very complicated characters. It mustn´t have been easy.
OVERALL >> 8.0 >> 7.0
The series convinced me in many aspects and buried some of my doubts in the implementation like a corpse in the sand. The scenario is terrifying and not exactly encouraging to make new acquaintances. HOWEVER, that's the way it is with a lot of thriller/horror series, but that doesn't make them any less remarkable. The show's triggers and topics are something the viewer could "learn" from, as quoted in the last episode. One should not take revenge into their own hands, as it is for the law/god/nature to decide what will happen to the offenders/sinners, otherwise, chaos and massacre ought to happen.
In any case, a recommendation to you sweethearts, but I'll stay on the mainland for now. I´ve learned and changed some views on things I had a very set opinion on before watching. I´m glad I have watched this.
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an action-comedy at first glance - but a lot more!
To be honest, I was waiting to watch this movie since I saw the very first trailer, so my expectations for this one were really high. And I am not dissappointed!First of all, if you go into this movie expecting a love story, you will probably be dissappointed but still, I recommend giving this movie a try.
I expected to see a action-comedy with supernatural elements, without any deep meaning behind it ("just a good laugh") but this movie offers way more than that. All the different pieces of this movie are nicely put together, nothing feels out of place. The story focuses more on the relationships between the characters (not only the main characters) than it does on the action - still, the action scenes are done great! Additionally, there are twists in the story, making it unpredictable and never leaving the viewer bored. The pace of the story is perfect, making the ~2 hours a good frame to tell the whole story without feeling like pieces were left behind in the end. Also, the ending, in my opinion, is a perfect ending to such an unique story.
All the actors do a great job portraying their characters. The unique personalities of the characters are portrayed nicely and seem realistic, as well as their own character development throughout the story. Especially the main characters are lovable in their own way. Their relationship throughout the movie feels genuine and realistic.
Talking about the OST, I was already in love with "Come with me" (the soundtrack in the trailer) before I was able to watch the movie, so obviously I am giving the OST a high rating. At the same time, the other songs in this movie feel just as nice, which made me add every single one to my personal music library! The music is used nicely throughout the movie without feeling annoying or out of place.
Overall, this is a nice movie which offers a lot more than I expected and a movie that I will most likely rewatch a few (=many) times. Therefore, I recommend that you should give this movie a try, it's totally worth it!
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The storyline was interesting to me because of the unique concept that constituted the plot (a vampire who feeds off of energy through physical contact and a human who has mysophobia). It was well paced throughout and the drama did wrap up nicely. There were, however some loose ends, but the second season is rumored to air next month so hopefully, those will be taken care of. The climax of the story (within the drama) though, didn't seem to be as dramatic as they may have intended it to be. It didn't create the suspense or anticipation that it probably should have.
I am actually a big fan of the male lead actor after his drama The Eternal Love, so I found myself inevitably comparing these two. That said, I think both lead actors did a good job of portraying their characters, but I never really felt the chemistry between them. Again, perhaps the second season may change my view on that.
As for the music, I did quite like two of the OSTs. They fit the tone of the story well and were memorable enough, as well as not too overused.
Overall, I would recommend this drama for a short and simple watch, as there are only 16 episodes at around 30 minutes each. I also definitely recommend reading the webtoon!
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It's as it is title suggests Failing in Love not falling in love.
It was a good watch for me, I enjoyed it and specially the ost was amazing it's one of best part of this web drama. As it's name suggest it's about failure in the love lives of teenagers, their feelings, struggles, emotions, confusions, finding what they want from life and the friendship between them. It's a pretty much portrayal of a regular teenagers life I can understand cause I'm passing through same phase.The execution is pretty much realistic, I liked the fact that even though it's just a short drama we get to know the backstories of characters and also pretty much big character development in the end. Although the ending wasn't fairytale like they lived happily ever after together but I really liked that it wasn't typical but everyone was happy and satisfied in there own life in own way, it was perfect ending for me.
This isn't about who ends up together or who gets the girl it's much more than that.
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1
1This review may contain spoilers
A Belief in Safety Pins—To Mend
—Only lightly spoilery—There's a certain *vibe* to Punks Triangle that makes it such a triumph. It's casual yet intimate.
Smoky nightlife filled with private chats with someone you admire but could never imagine having.
With damn fantastic cinematography and costuming, crazy chemistry and acting, it's a thrilling watch.
But the biggest draw and reason for its success (to me, at least): AE/Enaga.
Never have I truly bought a disguise/second identity before!
It wasn't the appearance so much that sold it. A large hat, wig, and baggy clothes can only do so much.
It was the thorough shift in attitude. Who could put together that their awe-inspiring model with a deadly walk and siren eyes, who knows what he's doing, is also the timid, slouching figure with a slow stride and clumsy hands sitting next to them in class?
And the crazy contrast between the identities of AE and Enaga led to many deeper conflicts and realizations within our leads. AE is as much Enaga as he is AE. As Enaga, he is out of his element away from the runway. He's earnest about making clothes but unconfident and inexperienced. But being AE, he has a spotlight on him wherever he goes. He can't get past the idolization to find something real. And he's afraid of disappointing the person he cares about. Becoming Enaga, he is allowed to be an approachable man. But while he's glad to have met someone who likes the other parts of him he shows in his other identity, he also finds himself jealous of Chiaki's fondness for him as Enaga, his softer side. "Do you like that version of me better?"
Becoming someone else to express other parts of you can be freeing as much as it is a burden. Or it can start as a way to hide; avoid unwanted attention, and then become a prison of your own making later on: I.E., how AE started experimenting with his style in school as a way to avoid being approached, and now all eyes are on him as a model.
I appreciated the conclusion having a subtle merging of AE and Enaga, leading to a flirty yet endearing wrap-up between our leads and an essential realization for Chiaki necessary for them to move forward: "My bias is just a person, after all."
My only real complaint about this drama is that deep down, I wanted an explosion of some kind in the finale! Something to send off all the edging of the audience with a high. A searing kiss or small switch-up of some sort would have sealed the deal perfectly!
But as it stands, I'm still left very satisfied and impressed.
Recommended!
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Fast pace drama with satisfying ending
At first, the drama seems focus on domestic/family issues, then boommm, it becomes politics wich is great without bring confusing. The story and reasons for all the things in the drama are believable and makes sense.The positive things about the drama is all the revenge are ended up satistying. No mercy for all the villains and villainess.
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For people who want eye-candy, there is the Shoujo Prince and two Tokusatsu heroes... but their pretty faces can't beat the talent of the veteran actor Yakusho Koji. His gentle smile, his determination to achieve his goals, his tears of frustration, of happiness. President Miyazawa, who loved his little company, his employees... always wearing his blue hanten. This man impressed me so much I was constantly posting about him.
Short version of my review: this drama reminded a lot of the anime "Haikyuu", in spirit.
Real rating: 100/10... thank you to yamazaki-kento dot com for subbing this amazing drama <3
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