The story is fresh, innovative, clever, and meticulously planned out. I have never encountered something like the "Liar Game" before, and just the concept of it makes me excited about this drama. The game's description sounds fun in itself, and I can't help but watch it. The several challenges/activities that the people go through are also ingenious. During the whole drama, I felt stupid whenever I couldn't figure out one of the puzzles. The puzzles take brain work to solve and it was extremely fun following along. Seeing the results was interesting. Because Liar Game was full of so many great and original ideas (completely steers away from all drama-centered stereotypes), I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sometimes, Nao's naivete seems annoying, but you get over it.
And, as a random ending note, Fukunaga is hilarious. Maybe it's because of bad acting, maybe it's not, but Fukunaga is awesome and I find his evil laugh amusing.
I put a rewatch value of 7 because, although rewatching Liar Game /can/ be fun, I lose my excitement the second time around since I already know the results and can't relive the enjoyment of trying to figure out all of the puzzles and stuff. :(
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I like that it didn't focus on the romance between characters, rather it focused on the love between family members. This is a feel good drama for those who would like to see good looking guys going crazy over their child.
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I found FB to be more romantic, which is one of the reasons I love Asian Dramas.
Jiro Wang nailed the part!! But perhaps I am biased becuae I liked him in "It started with a kiss." Here I saw a more mature, manly and serious version of him and I totally loved him!
We can clearly see how he slowly develops feeling for Gao Mei Nam.
He is not so childish as Tae Kyung and more jealous! Always a plus for me!
Lee HongKi will always be my Jeremy , but Evan Yo is adorable!
Hwang In Deok was good, but he did not stand out like the other characters or like Jung Yong-hwa did in YAB.
The main actress was so cute! Even though it was obvious she is still new at acting. But overall I found her adorable!
What I also liked was the way they were dressed, because the clothes they wore in YAB, in my humble opinion were over the top.
The music was ok, but the songs did not move me the way the YAB OST did.
All in all, a great drama! I highly recommend it!
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The peak of gay romcoms! The most influential JBL came back better than ever!
Ossan’s Love (2018), arguably the most successful Japanese BL, is a favorite of mine. It kind of suffers from being made in 2018 and that made me a bit reluctant when I heard it was getting a sequel season 5 years later; Could it live up to today’s standard? Or will it drag on and fall into that 2018 humor?Well, thankfully, OLR has moved with the times and served one of the most poignant examples of a sequel surpassing the first season. Everything is praiseworthy in this new season. The characters are so much more lovable, the conflicts as silly or as serious they are get resolved fairly quickly, respecting that all the characters are adults who can, more or less, communicate and solve their issues. I can also see the influence of post-OL BLs in this, especially the focus on domesticity. Haruta and Maki’s relationship progress is adorable to watch and there wasn’t a moment I would change between them. Izumi and Kikunosuke initially felt too random of an addition of characters but by the end of the show I grew to appreciate them. Kurosawa this season was much more likable as well. The slice of life aspect is not dull, not even for one moment because of its comedy and occasional drama. I also still think OL’s has the best female cast out of most if not all BL, even if they’re not the focus a lot. Chizu and Choko are a delight to watch every time and even in their limited screentime they feel fleshed out.
Production quality is also much higher this season and it’s so nice to see the change it was able to make after its success. Keeping Sukima Switch for the new theme song was a great nod to the first season’s theme song. The final episode was so satisfactory that I don’t even feel like complaining about how sad I am to let go of this show. Even if you didn’t like S1 a lot you should watch this as I can confidently say it’s one of the most wholesome, well written romantic shows you can find.
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A Realistic drama
Not the usual ending for Kdrama but it is exactly how relationship ends in real life. The whole story itself is so realistic that you cant really tell whether its a drama or a real relationship. There are fluffy and sad moments.On the other hand I like how they put the animations specially the cells. Its like watching another drama.
Short Kdrama but worth your time.
Music is also matching the actual drama.
This drama can be tagged as a melodrama instead of a romance or romantic comedy theme..
And what I learned from this is yourself is your greatest enemy. And dont look for a person to complete you. Look for a person to be with you when your complete.
………………………………………….
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Of course, that isn't to say some of the offense is incomprehensible. To the Japanese, image means a lot. It’s also impossible to control how viewers digest what they've seen on television. "Will they take it all as fact?" With Ashita, typically fantastical and almost always exaggerated, that would be worrisome indeed. But as previously mentioned, best to take it as the last shadows of a child’s dream, a bittersweet fable. Does Ashita seek to impart a worthwhile message? Certainly, and it succeeds; after all, fairy tales were born from the desire to impart morals, and dreams often contain some kernel of truth. But though we can learn from them, we know they don't fully reflect reality.
This drama rolls along a simple format, one often seen in Japanese titles. In the first half, each episode focuses on a different child and their “trials” with foster homes. This structure allows the viewer to uncover character history individually, learning about everyone at Kogamo no Ie (roughly "House of Ducklings") bit by bit. Viewers will encounter a heavy tone, with certain scenes sporting almost horror film-esque attributes. Oddly enough, the home/orphanage itself wasn't depicted as shockingly as one might assume; it was rather the potential adoptive parents themselves.
Each plot thread shares airtime in the second half, building upon and resolving what we've learned until that point. My issues with the drama began at the juncture between these two halves. If changes were indeed made by the network to sooth public tension, I've been told it would have occurred here. The story lightens, allowing for its natural humor to come out much more. Yet I found Ashita crumbling in places, culminating in at least two subplots without satisfactory resolution. There was eventually dialogue that broke my immersion, lines which felt like sermons. Despite these problems, the emotional aspect of the drama works consistently well throughout its duration. Overall an involving watch, to say the least.
Not surprisingly, most members of the Ashita, Mama Ga Inai cast are children. Ashida Mana towers above the rest with a precocious talent, her turn as Post incredible. She begins by acting like a cynical delinquent writ small, yet develops slowly into a “little mother,” to the other children; this is a child too mature for her age, yet still a child nonetheless, and Mana owns the role from top to bottom. Suzuki Rio is another powerful, budding talent, a young lady who excels at the natural expression of a normal child. Her Donki could have been written better, but she does well with what she’s given. The other kids were often hit or miss, sometimes exaggerated to a cartoonish point (Bombi, sometimes Piami), though somber scenes brought out the absolute best in them.
From the adult half of the stage, we’ve scene-stealer Mikami Hiroshi as the darkly handsome yet gruff director Sasaki Tomonori-san (better known to his charges as “Maou/Devil King”). Thundering about on a limp leg, aided by a heavy cane, this is a mysterious character whose almost esoteric motivations lend much to the thought of Ashita as a fairy tale. Is this character a wicked devil or an unexpected angel? Either way, he's wildly interesting... and that "Tch?" Unforgettable.
Like the presence of “Maou,” music bolsters the fairy tale approach of this drama. Most tracks introduce a very emotional tone to scenes, with many sounding very light or magical, often in a melancholy way. For example, the theme “Dare Ka Watashi Wo,” (Kotoringo) sounds just like a lonely lullaby.
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The acting was amazing! Especially on Ming Dao's part. He played both Junhao and Da ou so completely well that it actually made you believe they could be different people. The female lead... made me want to throw my laptop out the window and never turn on this drama again. HOWEVER, when i did warm up to her after a few episodes she became one of my favorite characters and most of the reason i continued to watch.
The music was not the best but it fit the mood. I think they had like two tracks, one sad and one happy where they would play each episode at their respected parts. I found this amusing more then anything else. reminded me of bof and 'almost paradise'.. XD
Despite there being 30 episodes to this drama, I enjoyed every single one of them. At episode 15, i remember thinking what could they possibly add to this story to fill 15 more episodes? But they somehow magically did! watching the last few episodes I felt so sad knowing it was ending and wishes there could be 15 more.
I would definitely watch this drama again. I'm not the hugest fan of Taiwanese dramas either because I don't know the language as well as Korean and Japanese but this one surprised me :) I would definitely recommend it ^^
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However, the drama didn’t have any of the clichés I had expected. From the first episode I felt something new and refreshing about this drama, and I liked it immediately. What I enjoyed the most is that the characters, their circonstances, jobs or family backgrounds seemed REAL.
I really liked how the main couples didn’t have the monopole of the storyline as the two side couples were as entertaining as the main. Each story was unique and interesting. I was really curious about the development of their relationship as I could identify myself with the characters even though they are so different from each other.
What I enjoyed the most is that apart of just being a romantic drama, it mentioned some real and important issues as inequalities between man and women in their workplace, women’s sexual harassment, the financial problems to acquire a property in South Korea or the exagerated costs of a marriage.
Finally I think that the cast was just perfect, the acting was on point, not only for the main characters but all the others as well. Lee Min Ki was my personal fave, I found him so convincing and really enjoyed the fact that he was not the usual annoying rich mama boy who bullies the main female. His character was rational and pleasant to watch. I really look forward to see him in more dramas. Lee Som was also one of my fave, not only is she freaking beautiful, her character is the ultimate female bad ass working girl goal. All the actors did such a great job.
I tried to find some flaws because I’m usually really peaky but really, couldn’t find any. This drama is a precious gem. I would definitely recommend it to anyone if you wish to see a quality rom-com drama that is light and funny but also treats of serious issues, portrayed by amazing actors with an original plot.
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If this love is poison, then I will gladly drink
A wonderfully wholesome romance and fun law drama with the best partners in every sense. This is a good apple.Ryoma was a passionate lawyer as well as a riot of a human. A delightful tsundere, with his L-like eccentricities and constant overanalyzing of situations and talking to himself/his succulents. What I loved the most about him, though, was his steadfastness for Haruto. No matter who or what tried to get in the way (including Haruto himself), he stood firm and said, "This is my partner."
And Haruto. Haruto at first appeared to be a suspiciously shiny apple. Enchanting, but clearly, something is under the surface. Once he felt safe with Ryoma, though, he slowly let his real self show. His hurt, fear, and overwhelming love he had to give. I adored his confidence, resilience, and unconditional support for Ryoma.
I hate to say goodbye to this wonderful pairing and their little succulent family.
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Story: About a man called Frost who due to an accident when young lost most of his emotions and had his hair turned white. He and his team of "buddies" solve cases dealing with psychology. Every episode deals with a different case - but there is one underlying case involving Frost that starts showing itself mid-way.
Cast: Dr.Frost (Song Chang Eui) This is the first drama I am recognizing him in and I think he did a great job, he's attractive even with the 'white' hair ;) His very rational and thought processing mind was very believable. I liked how I could see the puzzle pieces come together in his eyes. I wouldn't mind working for him myself^^. Yoon Seung Ah (Jung Eun Chae) First time I've seen this actress too, I liked her as the novice apprentice who has a totally different character than Frost - they worked well together. Cheon Sang Won (Choi Jung Woo) was great as the head professor. (I always enjoy seeing this actor in dramas). Song Sun (Lee Yoon Ji) at first I didn't like her b/c of her animosity towards Frost but about half-way in the drama, she stopped acting rude and was then pleasant to watch ;) Nam Tae Bong (Sung Ji Ru) I loved him as the Detective - always bringing new cases for Frost to help solve, he made the drama even better by being there. All the supporting and guest characters did a good job.
Music: It was good and suspenseful at times but I don't remember any actual songs.
Re-watch Value: 5.5 - If I get hungry for some psychological stuff again I may re-watch a couple episodes here and there.
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A sensitive and emotional journey.
Yes, my rating may be high, but I don’t think undeservedly so.It’s hard to know where to start for this review, the film’s cinematography is stunning, attention to detail is just-so, while the characters are realistic and truly embodied by their actors. The soundtrack matched perfectly the events onscreen. When I left the cinema, walking home quietly at night, life felt beautiful. That is the feeling this film left me with.
I also loved the creative decisions made in storytelling, which added major depth and impact to scenes that may have stood out less otherwise. I love the film in a quiet and reflective sense; it doesn’t rush to throw so many things at the viewer at once (with the possible exception of subtitles, being a bilingual film). In that sense the film is much like a journey you go on together with the leads.
The attention to detail with language was not lost on me, as the characters knew each other longer, their language abilities noticeably grew and improved, which may seem small but is of major importance.
I have, at most, one critique for the film; which would relate to it being a bit cliché with one element, but this didn’t take away from my viewing experience, nor that of the friend next to me who didn’t notice it.
If you can watch this in cinemas I absolutely recommend doing so; albeit if you aren’t relatively fluent and literate in Mandarin or Japanese, it may be linguistically tricky. If you’re looking at this sometime in the future and debating if it’s worth your time, please give it a go!
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This review may contain spoilers
my brother in christ...
— i went in blind, & i haven't even read the summary beforehand...i should've. it's confusing at the beginning, but dots start connecting quite nicely somewhere after the first revelation. i don't believe that it could've been confusing to anyone, you just need to pay it minimal attention, at least.— it's strange, & then it's quite horrid but overall it's just heartbreaking. i dislike sibling bonds in movies precisely because it was gut-wrenching to see the dynamic switch between the two brothers after we discover the truth. it's hard to bring your brain out of that illusion once you're convinced that they're blood-related. nonetheless, i liked this movie a lot. my brain glitched for good five minutes after finishing it because you rewind all little details that didn't make sense & you see them in a totally different light.
— i cried, like a lot.
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I watched it as soon as it finished airing, attracted by one of the best actors assembly I had come across in a long time. And true to their skills, they do an amazing job, given the luke-warm, inconsistent, shallow story they had to work with.
I understood none of the characters. Are they ambitious, serious, romantic, evil, malicious? No idea. They are all a mixture of those. Yes, in real life people are never clear-cut, but instead of coming out as imperfect human beings one can identify with, these characters appear like badly assembled patchwork quilts, behaving in a way one episode, the opposite way in the next.
The only character with a little consistency is Maemi, played by an impeccable Shinohara Ryoko.
Without spoiling the ending of the drama, suffice to know that it was so out of the blue, I could do nothing better than scratch my head in puzzlement.
What happened to that character? Why did that one act the way he did? What are they trying to say? What's the answer to that 4-coins quiz repeated to exhaustion?
All questions I found no answers to.
I can't remember the music. In these cases, I always end up giving it a non-committal 7. It certainly didn't blow me away.
What a pity.
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This review may contain spoilers
I loved the second couple
Overall: I absolutely adored Ai Di and ended up enjoying their dynamic/story more. Aired 13 episodes about 25 minutes each on iQIYI, GagaOOLala (not in Taiwan, Japan, Korea, or SEA), Viki & WeTV. Later aired on YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLk2gvyPpHLRfpyBmdMhePR2ntRNk3GqGs&si=hjJj5M5ZwqmJN7Rm Watch the post credit scene in episode 13.Content Warnings: murder, attempted murder, blood, violence, past parental abuse, trauma, non con kiss, dub con sex*, blackmail, manhandling, held against will, 17 year old/22-25? year old** (also teacher/student), stalking, manipulation
What I Liked
- more unique premise
- clear timeline (first scene starts in the present then the rest is 4 years before)
- sweet/caring moments
- styling, especially Ai Di
- secondary couple's dynamic
- cameos of HIStory actors, Be Loved In House actors and Plus & Minus actors
- Bai Zong Yi's family, and liked how they knew about most things regarding his decision/actions
- intimacy/nsfw
Room For Improvement
- overall it felt rushed, this covered a long time span but didn't feel that long, they could have removed some parts like the cliche wannabe girlfriend and spent that time explaining things more/showing time passing
- the ending felt especially rushed with cliche plot points tossed in and one plot point left open ended
- comedy sound effects in the beginning didn't fit with the very serious scenes/tone
- villain should have been smoking a cigarette not sucking on a lollipop (it's explained in episode 9 which was too late for me)
- evil wannabe girlfriend cliche
- I got pretty lost with the the gang plot stuff but I also fast forwarded a bit
- not a fan of manipulation/stupid "plan" between romantic partners
- *with the main couple, one was super drunk/on sleeping pills but it was the fictional scenario where he was an active participant and then seemed sober
- **I really wanted them to have aged up Bai Zong Yi but it actually was important to the plot that he was 17 and I do think 17 year olds can be mature enough to enter into relationships with those over the age of 18 so in this instance it didn't bother me and I didn't take off points, though they could have removed the teacher/student element
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