Hilarious & chaotic love story of two con-artists
This drama is one of the most hilarious and chaotic rom-coms I’ve seen! It’s truly underrated. The drama is a story within a story. The female lead begins to write her novel and the story is her novel (this was only done to pass censorship). The story is about the female lead who has the power to make any rich man fall in love with her as long as he gazes into her eyes. She is a con-artist, and a good one, until she meets her match, the male lead. He is also a con-artist, a fake rich man. As they try to one up each other (think cat and mouse game) and untangle the mysteries of their past, they end up falling in love.The drama blends seamlessly the comedy, romance and very light thriller vibes. The chemistry between the leads is fire and their supportive friends/partners in crime are the most endearing! There is no stupid love triangle, no annoying characters, no boring work stuff, no filler scenes. Only tons of romance, cuteness and laughter.
POSITIVE:
- Hot chemistry between the leads.
- Tons of cute romantic scenes.
- Sweet kiss scenes.
- Top notch comedy. Seriously, this is one of the most hilarious modern cdramas I’ve watched!
- Great support cast. A perfect blend of friendship/partners in crime/cute side couples.
- Main leads who are always shamelessly trying to one up each other in the best way possible.
- No love triangles.
- No annoying characters.
- No boring work stuff/ filler scenes.
- Fast paced (never a dull moment).
- Fun bickering scenes balanced with heartwarming moments.
- Tragic past for both main leads which adds more depth to their characters.
- One of the most satisfying and well wrapped up endings!
NEGATIVE:
- There are some scenes where logic has left the room. However, that's what makes this drama so hilarious. The writers are aware of that and they shamelessly say “this drama is ridiculous and crazy, and that’s the point”. Basically, this negative point did not take away from my enjoyment at all!
OVERALL:
If you want a highly entertaining, hilarious and silly rom-com with hot chemistry between the leads and strong friendship bonds, watch this drama!
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May scratch your guilty-pleasure itch for trope-filled, angsty dog's blood drama
Okay, let's first be very clear, the ML is a serious, problematic P.o.S. for the first half dozen episodes or so, and their "explanation" (that he is bi-polar and was "cured"?) is just as problematic. This is a terrible portrayal of mental illness and using it as a throw-away story-telling device (it doesn't really get mentioned again for the rest of the drama) does such a huge disservice to an important issue. (C-dramas in general have a long way to go still when it comes to attitudes towards mental illness -- even in serious, high brow, well-scripted costume dramas, it's still common to see the villain "go crazy" at the end.)This is otherwise, your classic, trope-filled, angsty dog's blood low-budget soap; this should be very obvious from the get-go. So if you are looking for a high-quality modern romance grounded in reality, you can safely skip this with zero regrets. But if you're looking for a relatively short melodrama fix (20 episodes, 30 minutes each) with low expectations, this might satisfy that guilty-pleasure itch -- you have tortured break-ups, revenge, family drama, backstabbing, people who do terrible things for unrequited love, disapproving in-laws, an ML who really suffers and is put through the wringer when the FL finally leaves him, and an ML who changes for the better and is willing to give up everything for the FL. The only trope missing, as commenters joked, are twins. Don't expect a well-crafted script that offers character development that makes sense -- this is low-budget dramaland at its soapiest, so leave the over-thinking and expectations at the door, make a lot of assumptions, and fill in the blanks yourself. Do all that and you might find yourself not minding this ridiculous ride! And to be perfectly fair, when it comes to plot holes and making sense, there are many, many worse offenders out there.
I watched this primarily because I was curious to see He Riuxian as the FL -- she was stunning in Warm on a Cold Night and her character was pretty kick-ass from what I remember. I also liked Luo Zheng in some of his earlier supporting roles, and -- as my bio notes -- I'm a sucker for angsty journeys that end in happily-ever-afters.
A few good things I wanted to highlight:
-- Asian dramas love their over-the-top public proposals, or proposals that generally put a lot of pressure on the women to say "yes" out of obligation and guilt. So I was pleasantly surprised by a scene that calls out these types of proposals.
-- Modern C-dramas seem to love making their FL's look frumpy -- high-waisted jeans, boxy, unflattering blazers, ugly shirts, bad hairstyles, you name it -- one has to wonder, do the stylists hate them? Here, He Riuxian's character has pretty great style and clothes -- a genuinely rare sight in my viewing experience!
-- The mothers are hilarious near the end. The ML's mom starts off as your typical rich wife/disapproving mother. (It takes a very long time, but she ultimately just wants to see her son happy and comes to accept the FL, recognizing her kindness and formidable strength.) Her encounter with the equally disapproving FL's mother was fairly amusing, but the scene that had me cackling out loud may be when the ML sneaks into the FL's bed to snuggle .... only to stare right into the glaring eyes of the FL's mother, lol. Priceless.
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Too Short but Enjoyable - Cover Poster doesn't match the drama
Completed - 8/18/2022When I saw the cover poster of this drama and read the synopsis, I was expecting a mature and sexy show with a focus on our female lead's romance and career change. After watching this, I feel like I got cheated. This is a simple, fun and light watch which focuses not only on our female lead's career but actually her personal growth. I am not saying this is a bad drama, but it's not what I expected.
Umi is an overworked employee at a TV talk show. We follow her journey of switching careers, finding love and especially finding herself. Although romance is a part of the drama, it is not the main focus. This is a story about Umi. I enjoy getting to know Umi and following her journey. I appreciate that she's not the typical, quiet, naive female lead. In fact, she is a ball of energy and not afraid to go all out to get the work done. It is quite refreshing in a way. She's easy to root for, though she could be quite loud especially when she was screaming/screeching when snowboarding. Actually, there are many loud women in this drama, though none of them is annoying. Everyone is sweet and supportive of each other. It's quite nice to see that.
I like the three main male characters in this drama. This is my first time watching Honda Kyoya. He is quite cute, though he does look young. His acting is OK. It's nice to see Shirashu Jin as President Keisuke. I love him in "I Don't Love You Yet". It's also great to see a different side of Izuka Kenta as the weird and funny Satoru. He's no longer the innocent college student in the "Pornographer" or the cool hotshot in "Rinko Wants to Try". I quite enjoy the friendship between Jin and Kenta, and isn't it interesting that they both were in a BL drama before?
One thing I really like about this drama is the use of silence. There are many significant moments in the drama where there's no background music. The drama lets the actors and their dialogs take center stage, and does not use music to manipulate viewers' emotions. Viewers can really feel the emotions happening on the screen.
My main criticism would be the length and pacing of the drama. I wish the drama is longer. "Animals" is trying to cover our female lead's career change, romance and personal growth, all in less than 8 hours. I would have loved to see her slowly transitioning to her new job. She seems to fit in too easily and transition from a novice on makeup to someone who seems to be an expert within an episode or two. I want to see the romance develop more and have more scenes between Umi and Kazao. We see their cute bickering (which I like), but I want some more romantic scenes to see how they realize their feelings for each other. The romance lover in me is not quite satisfied.
I also realize I know nothing about Japanese fashion. I find most of the outfits that FL and her sister tried on for the interview and date are really ugly. LOL. Of course, this is just me. I am someone who wears just a T-shirt and jeans.😆
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The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House
27 people found this review helpful
This review may contain spoilers
Be 100% you, wherever you are
The Makanai is a delightful and heartwarming coming of age drama about two teenagers who travel to Kyoto to train to become Maiko. The friendships and supportive atmosphere of the yakata will welcome you in and delight you with beauty and delicious food.Close friends Kiyo and Sumire enter the world of the maiko at the age of sixteen. Sumire is a natural but Kiyo is not and is expelled. Fate as it does, plays a hand when the older cook of the house hurts her back and Kiyo steps in with her lovingly prepared meals and becomes the new makanai, fixing all the meals for the women. That is pretty much the whole plot, the story follows the two over the next year as they blossom and find their way in the world all while maintaining their friendship.
The drama does cover the lives of the “Mothers” who run the yakata and also the star geiko, Momoko. The women are supportive of each other as they face life choices, some choosing to stay and others to go. Answers to conflicts arrive as easily and gently as on a breeze. There is no hazing or jealousy, only a little friendly competitiveness and teasing. This is a glimpse behind the scenes and into the world of the maiko and those training to be one. Because one cannot be a married maiko or geiko, as the young women age, they are faced with leaving their art if they choose to marry.
More than focusing exclusively on the maiko tradition, the friendship is the heart of the drama. Kiyo and Sumire have a sismance that will inspire you. The young women are always happy, never depressed or sad living away from home. Everyone does their chores and lessons with a joyful attitude. It may not be entirely realistic but it does make for soothing viewing. The cooking and food prep is tantalizingly shot with great care. Be advised you may not want to watch this on an empty stomach as Kiyo’s dishes do look delicious!
Though the action is languorous, the scenes tend to be vibrant with conversations going on in both the fore and background. Laughter often fills the air in the cozy house. The acting is natural and approachable. This slice of life is an example of life being lived in the details.
With the exception of a boisterous and attention seeking geiko who returns after a failed marriage I found most of the main characters charming. The other exception to my enjoyment of this drama was a mai developed on Night of the Living Dead for a festival. But that’s my personal issue-I’m terrified of zombies even when portrayed by stunning maiko!
In a world that can be cold, this drama wraps you in its warm embrace and feeds you comfort food, giving you hope that your dreams can come true and that friendship can be for a lifetime.
1/14/23
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Funny, cute romance story
So I started watching this after I watched a sad historical Chinese drama. I wanted to watch a modern drama and saw it on my watchlist. I never knew it was a mini series. Although it was a mini series I love it. I would rewatch it all day if I could. It’s cute, and funny. It’s family friendly and has some enemies. I love that the female is confident and not fragile and shy. I highly recommend it it cheered me up and I am about to go rewatch it so enjoy it. It’s perfect if you wanna screen record and watch it wherever you go.Was this review helpful to you?
180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us
27 people found this review helpful
I am completely empty
This series was a blow to my emotions that I will never recover from. It's not just a depiction of a complicated story but a painful moment realization.Wang, who has been searching for the remnants of his father's memory his entire life is suddenly drawn to a house in the middle of nowhere. An oasis... a cave? a cage where the man holding the key to the mystery lies impatient.
An unstoppable force meets the immovable object. As a young man full of resolve and fire, crashes into a man that only knows fear and regret masked as prudence.
With a Strindberg-esque theater in it's core, this show brings blade-sharp monologues and dialogues with amazing rythm and ruthlessness. It plays into the inevitability of family and the unfortunate blooming of a love that grows like weeds in concrete.
The cinematography is beautiful, the use of lines and colors to depict meaning is raw and subtle at the same time. Its impossible to pinpoint the "good moments" because it's all so meticulously planned that everyone I tried to get a quote written down I ended up with a transcription of the entire scene.
It's not necessarily sad. I don't cry at "sad". It was just too much. The situation, the emotions, the dialogues are multidimensional and overwhelming.
Pond offered a gut wrenching performance that was always topped with a smile that passes through you.
F*ck, how this shit tore me apart.
If you do not find theater entertaining, if you like explicit, easy, quiet shows definitely skip this one. This is not your typical BL, for the ones coming towards it only because of that label. It is BL, but it became so much more.
This is not a "fun" ride. It's a story of a bird trying to convince another to leave the cage. The door is not locked, the air is much nicer up there... but how could you convince a bird with no wings to fly?
Id rather stay in the labyrinth than join Icarus in the sea.
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This review may contain spoilers
CUTE FLUFFY ROM COM SHOW WITH HAPPY ENDING
Loved this show so much and hope that it will be more popular its so funny and light hearted. Love the characters especially his parents and his relationship with his wife.he loves his wife so much and she thinks hes the best person ever even when everyone else thinks hes a bully.
plus the food looks delicious.
its a good show to rewatch for the couples scenes.
the mystery aspect was a little dull to me but I def reccommend this show plus the 2 songs they use are so cute and catchy
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This drama starts in the very middle of things. Unless you have watched the 2010 special - which I haven't yet - you won't see any introductions, neither of the characters, nor of the setting. You are thrust into the first crime and given brief flashes of the characters' past, pieces of a puzzle you'll only complete by the end, and not in full. It's realistic, harsh and frustrating, but it worms its way into the viewer's interest in a very subtle, gradual way, until you come to the end and wish there were another entire season to watch at once.
The cases brought me more than once to the brink of tears. They are desperate and intense, involving such human characters I couldn't remain detached even if I wanted to.
The cast is downright brilliant. My favourite Takeuchi did not disappoint me. Her character's very complex, with a perpetually seething anger as palpable and incomprehensible at the beginning as it is understandable once her past is slowly revealed. I have a weakness for characters who are incapable of expressing their feelings, because when they finally let the slightest glimpse of vulnerability surface it's so much more intense and heart wrenching.
Which inevitably leads me to her loyal subordinate Kikuta, portrayed by an impeccable Nishijima Hidetoshi. He reads her without fail, and I love that his evident attraction to her originates from his admiration for her skills rather than a simple man/woman dynamic.
Some of the characters are downright irritating. The police director - whose role is quite a mystery to me - is so obtuse the sole purpose of his existence seems to be to provoke his detectives' reaction. While it works on a dramatic level, I hope such individuals do not exist in real police departments, or I'd give up on the Japanese justice entirely, mostly if he's paired with the older corrupt detective whom I wanted to punch in the face.
Good or bad, none of these characters left me unmoved, proof of their outstanding job here.
I loved the music: well chosen, well used, well balanced.
Re-watch value is very high, because at first viewing I found some details hard to follow, mainly because of the fast delivered lines and the unusual way the crimes unfold. Most of all, though, I am experiencing withdrawal symptoms regarding the characters and am looking forward to a continuation. I'd vote for a second season in no time.
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This review may contain spoilers
Avoid this truckload of bullsh!t
A dating B who is connected to C who dates D who is the ex of A who reconnects with D who disappears and E dates H and marries with I the father of B who likes and hate C who cares for J the son of E who is D who used to cheat with A ...Total ridiculous shitty crap. The story is basically piling some of the dumbest tropes in lakorns. These are sent into the face of the viewers the most ridiculous way to just outrage them and bait them into watching the next episode. Because viewers think they are going to be relieved of their frustration by one nice cute entertaining development which just never happens. This drama is just baiting and baiting and baiting until the viewers have swallowed all the bs but never had an entertaining and fun story to enjoy.
The plot is centered around the evil character who is the pivotal point of the story and all other characters evolve around that person and the bullshit that character is doing episode after episode. The two leads become frustrating and not endearing and accessory characters that I finally did not care to see together or not.
This has to be one of the worst lakorn I have seen and if I inflicted this to myself I surely do not wish anyone to do the same for himself. Stay away from this torture which will never give you any moment of joy or any real satisfaction of being entertained. Even if the performance of the lead actors is commendable I will give this 1/10 because I really lost my time on this crappy lakorn.
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama is definitely underrated! I started watching it because, well, my screen name is Crazy4you and the name of this drama is "Crazy For You" haha. I realized later that Yoon Kye Sang was also in it, and I was happy to see him in a main role after seeing him in The Greatest Love. The story isn't anything over-the-top. I was curious to see how it'd turn out, what were they going to do after they realized that the person that Chae Joon had killed was Jin Young's fiance? (Not a spoiler, it's in the synopsis and you see it happen in the very beginning of the drama)The acting was pretty good. Again, I've seen Yoon Kye Sang in The Greatest Love and seeing him go from his adorable role as Yoon Pil Joo-ssi to a more serious one makes him a versatile actor. Although his character was adorable at times as well! I want to see more with him in it, he's a great actor (: And this was my first drama with Lee Min Yeon but I felt she did a really good job as Jin Young and really pulled off her emotions. Also the halmoni is the same one that was in Coffee Prince - I knew I saw her before but didn't realize until now that that was the drama I'd seen her in. The rest of the cast was great as well (:
I loved the music! I was surprised at hearing such a nice soundtrack to this drama. "Saranghe Michida" (Crazy For You/Crazy For Love) by Lee Soo Young is a really pretty song. I also loved the song "Never" by Yoon Yeo Min! And "Crazy For You" by Mr. Mimi (the artist's name makes me laugh haha).
I can see myself possibly rewatching this drama again, although not anytime soon that's for sure (look at my plan to watch list!)
Overall - I think it's worth giving a try! It's not overly serious, there are some light moments, but there is a good bit of drama. It may not be the best drama out there, but it's still a nice drama! So if you think it sounds like something you would like, add it (:
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Though Jung Wan (Eugene) might be considered a traditional heroine, there are actually three leading ladies. Each woman has her own fully realized plot, with journeys so unique from the others (yet still connected!) that they could stand as three separate dramas. Does this result in a disjointed feeling? Not at all! The writers have a talent for seamless transitions, balancing characters and their evolving circumstances from episode to episode. Instead of being drawn out forever, even conflicts were frequently solved within an episode or two (crazy, I know).
This isn't true of the entire drama unfortunately; I could practically feel the steam seep out around near in late episodes. While not nearly enough to derail the entire experience, some cliches and melodramatics slithered in, while other bits were managed a little awkwardly.
A big pro for “Can We love?” is realism, despite obvious exaggeration here and there for entertainment’s sake. These characters have mundane worries for the most part (such as money trouble, single-parenthood, or romantic uncertainty). They have their foibles and quirks, but even at their worst they’re never the maniacs one often encounters in similar dramas. The second female lead will not be hitting her rival with a car, here, folks. You’ve probably met or heard of people like the “antagonists” in this drama…though in the case of a certain abusive mother-in-law, I hope not.
But for me, honestly, the best part must be the romance. Great kisses abound, with actual moving lips and touching. Because the characters are adults and act as such, they’re not mortified by the prospect of sex (pre-martial or otherwise). Couples communicate, both to solve problems and to build intimacy and knowledge of one another. The "main" pairing even felt like they were actually in love. I admit to giddiness with certain scenes, an uncommon occurrence.
Uhm Tae Woong was a primary source for such giddiness, as fast-talking charmer Oh Kyung Soo. Discard thoughts of him from other dramas, those intense and serious men; this role is completely the opposite. A “world-famous director,” Kyung Soo flirts, teases, and pursues what he wants with sincerity—whether in work or love. You might fall a little in love yourself, however your tastes run; he might be my favorite leading man to date. Leading lady Eugene embodies a gentle presence, easily becoming a sympathetic lead in Jung Wan. Her chemistry with Uhm Tae Woong sparkles, and her mothering scenes are fantastic.
Also notable: Kim Yoo Mi presents a complex and controversial Sun Mi. This actress masterfully handles tough, flawed women with hidden vulnerabilities. Choi Jung Yoon capably maneuvers the emotional tribulation and wide nuances required of Ji Hyun, though the character did not satisfy my interest as much as others. Kim Sung Soo (gentle and mature Do Young) and Park Min Woo (puppy-eyed noona killer Yoon Suk) round out the cast quite well.
What about the music? I found it above average, often memorable and always well-placed. While there isn’t a false note in the bunch, certain songs might wax repetitive for some viewers. The vocals are where the soundtrack really shines: “Everyday” (GGot Jam Project), “I Want to Love Again” (Lunafly), and
“My Hero” (Kim Ji Sook) are all excellent examples. Others include “Softly” (Sum & So Yeon), and a more elusive track, known affectionately to viewers during the drama’s run as the “Hey, Boy” song. You’ll know when you hear it.
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This review may contain spoilers
I loved this drama and was excited to watch new episodes every week, it was filled with fun scenes, the romance was cute, the couple looked good together and both actors are really attractive, also I liked the 3 cleaning fairies plus o sol's relationship.I used to like this drama so much that I was sure I going to rewatch it someday, but that changed because I disliked how the story unfolded.
To me it all went downhill when O sol stopped working in the company and started living in Seon kyeol's house. Sure we were blessed with some great kisses and domestic stuff, but to me that was when the plot started becoming nonsensical.
I didn't like Daniel at all, I found him clingy and annoying as all hell not to mention his stalking behavior. I didn't like O sol's rude brother and his attitudes as well as her father.
I even started disliking O sol and not understanding her decision of breaking up with Seon kyeol (not to mention how unoriginal and boring that ''have the couple breakup in the last few episodes'' kdrama trope is) and her attitude towards him, a person who didn't deserve any of it. To me that was the final nail in this drama's coffin. What his selfish grandfather, who physically attacked him as a kid (I also didn't like how the writer seemed to have forgotten that and gave the grandfather a redeeming scene, expecting us to feel sorry for him) and who caused his misophobia, did, wasn't his fault.
The final episode was painful to watch because of how o sol kept rejecting seon kyeol and how her and her father kept blaming and making him guilty of something that wasn't his fault. I didn't like seeing him acting so pitiful around the father and her.
I'm not sure if I'd recommend it or not, sure the ending was a happy one, there's lots of funny scenes and the couple had good chemistry but there's lots of things that prevent me from doing so. I guess you could give it a try if your a fan of any of the actors because everyone did a great job.
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~Story~
First off, it's a brilliantly written comedy featuring badass YAKUZA. How does this NOT get butts in seats in anticipation to this show!? This show is freakin' hysterical; I think I considered rakugo as a profession for a while (it gives me an excuse to rewatch the show too). I questioned my own manliness as I saw Tora, the most loyal, manly yakuza this side of Shibuya, grace the screen. His glare of anger will strike fear into the most hard-boiled viewers; I thought his eyebrow-muscles were permanently altered to give off such glares. When I become a Yakuza boss (in my dreams), I WILL hire Tora at all costs. Even though he's part of a questionable organization, you realize he is a man of loyalty to a great faction in Yakuza.
The show mostly features Tora's (and Ryuji's) daily life once Tora learned of rakugo. Tora really sucks at rakugo (or just making anyone laugh, as his story-telling skills are the same as Buzz Kilington), but practices like a champ. For the most part, each episode features Tora describing how a real-life event is similar to the story his master told earlier; flashing back to the moments where the real-life action took place. The drum beat when they announce Tora's rakugo act is still second-nature to me; I still expect his stories. Tora even grew better as a storyteller as the story progresses, becoming a stage-favorite.
At the beginning, the blend of his rakugoka (traditional Japanese comedian) job at day, and debt-collecting Yakuza at night was comedic. However, Kudo-sensei couldn't just leave it at that. The Yakuza part of Tora's life is a major part of who he is as a person, and owes his life to his organization. As the story DEVELOPS (mature story development in a comedy!? OMIGERDZ!), you realize how Tora and his life isn't a comedy. I won't say much about the ending, but it was PERFECT. I'm sad that the ride ended, but it was one of the best. The post-drama haze is strong. It's been about a week, and I'm still wondering when I'll hear a story from Tora.
~Acting/Cast~
The cast consists of actors Kudo has worked with in the past, and in the future. Nagase is an excellent actor; the way he shows emotion with his whole face is a rare talent. It doesn't even need to be an over-the-top moment; you FEEL his character. I first saw him as the self-conceited detective from "Unubore Deka," but that disappear once he spoke. I admire actors with versatility in their roles. I can't praise his acting enough without turning this review into "Why I love Nagase Tomoya: his face." Junichi also acted as the easy-to-anger shopkeeper who is somewhat insecure about his clothes. News flash: he sucks as a designer; brace the bizarre fashion he thinks is "cool." Seriously, these actors from Johnny's are NOT just pretty faces; they have acting chops that are on par with non-idol actors.
The rest of the cast instantly grow as their characters. The show makes you feel like you're watching a family, not a group of actors. The show features visualizations Tora sees when he hears master's stories; the cast act as the characters in the rakugo stories extremely well. I LOVE versatility in actors! The actors/actresses in this show just makes you feel right. They feel natural in their roles; which is the best thing for viewers to be immersed in the story's universe.
~Music~
Being a drama with Yakuza, they have some Yakuza music. My favorite song from the OST was "Tiger & Dragon" from the Crazy Ken Band. The song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rwW7Qx9z2E) describes the Yakuza vibe from Tora quite well. The ending theme was from V6, as most dramas featuring Johnny's HAVE to feature a Johnny's song SOMEWHERE. It was a bit out-of-place, being the idol song in a drama with a solid OST featuring the Crazy Ken Band, but the song grew on me. Your mileage may vary, as there are probably some people who aren't too keen on pop music, especially idol music.
~Conclusion~
This drama is another show to add to my shrine of Kudo-worship. It's funny, grows up with you, and is touching. Really, it's a show to watch if you have a sense of humor, love Yakuza, or want to learn about a great & original writer working in the industry right now.
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This drama got criticised a lot. That a lot of people would just not give it a chance. But believe me, if you're a fan of (( melodramas )) or (( romantic )) ones. This is one of the best.
…….
STORY:
This drama got one of the best story lines. It's not about a romance between chicken restaurants owners, or competitors, or whatever you read from the plot. One thing to say, ITS NOT. This drama is really deep, the romance is deep, different than what you usually watch. It was touching. I won't say they got chemistry or something like that, no it was TOUCHING. A weird one that you won't even understand unless you keep watching.
ACTING/CAST:
Bae Su Bin: If you think you got no reason to watch this, then give Su Bin a one chance to create this reason. Watch one episode and you'll have the reason to continue watching. I watched 26 episodes switching from (I like you), to (I dislike you). Then I finished up watching this drama not knowing, is he a good guy, or bad. I don't even know if I like him or dislike him(drama). But that's not a negative thing, because that's what he is in the drama, a bad guy..and a good one. You know what that means? His acting was DAEBAK, I never knew he was this good.
Jang Shin Young: sometimes got me confused, but you'll get to know her acting style later on. She did really well on the last episodes.
Rest of cast: They did pretty well.
MUSIC:
The music was good, nothing that grabbed my attention, but fitted the scenes.
…….
HOW I RATED THIS:
First episodes: 7.5-8
Last episodes: 8-8.5
Final episode: 10
TO SUM THIS UP:
- Watch it! Do not hesitate. You won't regret it. Listen to me, and WATCH IT!
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One of the best enemies to lovers drama of all time!✨️
I have been eagerly anticipating this masterpiece for a long time. It captivates, fascinates, engages and enchants the audiences with its extraordinary and unique top notch plot. Even though I have read the novel, it has been impossible to tell what would happen next as the story is very cleverly adapted to include core events and the main story of the novel yet many things are seemlessly changed and integrated perfectly to improve the experience which keeps the novel readers at the edge of their seats at all times. 💯First of all, I have to give my highest commendation for the actor/actresses choices for this drama, from the main characters to their companion beast characters to the supporting characters to the villians, they all have served incredibly well. This drama is studded with exteremely handsome actors and beautiful actresses. HMH is my most favourite actor who with his phenominal talent, hard work and commitment, always delivers his awe-inspiringly complex and supremely versatile roles spectularly, immaculately and impeccably well. He always leaves the audience charmed and enchanted with unforgettable performances. It's my first time watching LYX, I'm thoroughly impressed with her extremely remarkable, stunning, dazzling, astonishing and impressive acting, she has gone straight to my top 5 actresses list. Both main leads nailed the complexity of the characters they have portrayed to the finest details 👌. All the others actors also entranced me with their brilliant, dynamic and captivating acting. They have displayed their deep emotions, passion, feelings flawlessly and their stories unfolded magnificently and seamlessly well with good pacing. Their dynamic and smooth chemistry with each other and the main characters brought this masterpiece to life.
💫HMH has portrayed the complex character of JBZ incredibly well. JBZ is very powerful and majestic warrior who has grand ambitions and hidden goals. He is a mysterious character who clawed his way out of horrible and brutal prison to the heights of honorable and respectable warrior in his realm. JBZ is incredibly smart, cunning, calculating, cautious, decisive, manupilative, and talented person in general. Although he is good, kind, caring and righteous person at heart, he carries the weight of deep emotional scars he was left with due to being abandoned by his parents, enduring unbearable painful suffering in the prison and betrayal of people he reluctantly trusted . At times these scars resurface and cloud his decisions, judgments and actions but thankfully and luckily he meets people who show him sincerity, love and care. So he becomes open to change, learns to overcome his fears, dares to love wholeheartedly, care and trust and be sincere and forgiving. I love his calm, witty, elegant, graceful, funny, determined and loving side yet I am also blown away by his incredibly powerful and skillful warrior side too.
💫LYX also nailed her intricate and sophisticated character as MY/MX. MX is undefeated God of war for 7 consecutive years. This warrior is also crown prince of his realm. Although this warrior's life looks glamorous, glorious and worthy of envy, MY is pitiful person who can't even declare her real gender to the world. Her parents drilled it into her that loosing is not an option. Yet after giving her all to win everytime for the sake her parents and people of her kingdom, she has never got genuine love, respect or rewards. When she lost for the first time due to being poisoned, no one hesitated to point fingers at her, throwing accusations at her or prosecuting her. Hiding her identity and lying to protect it has become second nature to her since childhood. With luck she does meet some sincere, caring and protective people too. Like JBZ she retains her kind, sincere and righteous nature underneath the cloak of false identity she has had to maintain for life. However, her traumatic struggles didn't leave her untainted either she yearns for unconditional love, care, happy and carefree life yet she has been trained to think and act for the kingdom/others, so she seldom puts herself first. She always readily puts her health, dreams, happiness and even her life on the line when she decides someone is important to her.
💫The chemistry between the main leads is off the charts❤️🔥!! Whether they are playing humorous cat and mouse games pretenting to fall for each other, or dangerous games of deception to use each other or sincere attempt to help/protect the other or when actually genuinely fallen in love trying to confirm/hide their feelings, they never fail to captivate the audience with their electrifying, exotic, charming, heart-warming and alluring chemistry. Being with each other both show sides to each other which they never have shown to anyone. They are funny, bubbly, adorable, flirtious, playful and love to tease each other. They are always ready to protect each other at the cost of their lives. They learn to see, feel and understand each other's heartwrentching painful pasts, other's prespective and current struggles, and try their best to heal each other physically and emotionally. Through ardouse journey together both learn to love and trust each other wholeheartedly while facing their fears, childhood traumas, ambitions, identity, goals and status differences head on. Due to their past pain both had to put extra effort into being more transparent with each other and use effective communication to fix many misunderstandings and uncover hidden truths between them.
This couple gives us everything whether there is extreme tension of them being nemesis warriors, or intellectuals who solve cases together for the good of people or fight villians trusting relying on each other putting their lives on the line, or make us ride the turbulent waves of push and pull between them, or whether one is decisively pushing other away and other is possessively chasing. The development of love between them is very brilliantly executed, viewers can feel from their actions and emotions displayed that how their fake love turned into genuine deep love over the course of time. They are so brilliantly campatible with each that it feels they were made for each other. 💕
💫The love and hate story between YX and Princess is extremely entertaining and captivating as well. I am very impressed by Princess's strength, wisdom and fighting spirit to protect her kingdom's people in the face of male dominating realms. Seeing MY always being confident, brave, resourceful and courageous and also seeing that being female she can fight really well, I love that the princess gets inspired and opens up paths for women to be allowed to be warriors. One of the main themes of the novel was women winning their rights and respectable places amongst the powerful male led six realms, I'm glad that the drama retained this theme. Other characters that have my heart are MY's and JBZ's companion beasts. Like their masters they are extremely cute, kind, smart, caring and fun. It really hurts to see them hurt. They love their masters dearly and always ready to give their lives to protect them or carry out any order from them. The interactions between the pets and their friendship is very endearing and precious as well.
💫The CGI, FX and cenimatrography of this drama is fire🔥!
The attention to detail, photorealism, seamless integrations, lighting and texturing makes the six realms of story enchanting and magical. The CGI in this drama not only gave us compelling visual experience in the action scenes but it effectively communicated the stories and emotions of the characters too. It successfully engages the viewers and leaving an everlasting impression. The gorgeous costumes, stunning hairstyles and mesmerising make up for the casts is breathtaking making the drama very enticing and inviting visual feast. But it's not just the visuals that stand out, all the OSTs especially the opening OST 'love in the clouds', 'If your World had no sunshine' and 'pretending it's nothing' are extremely beautiful. They have emotional resonance, clear production, and originality. All OSTs give emotional and atmosphereic depth to the scenes and events. They complement the on-screen action and match the tone of the production. Everytime they are played I was captivated, immersed and impacted pleasently by the beautiful melodies, rhythms and very moving and meaningful lyrics.
I absolutely fell in love with this enchanting and stunning couple, I don't think I will ever be able to move on from this drop-dead gorgeous, very dramatic, unashamedly flirtious and unapologetically very intimate couple. Together they have created top most heart warming, touching, emotional, magical, romantic and unforgettable Xuanhuan ever for me.
💫Ending:
I absolutely loved the most satisfying ending ever. Its really frustrating when either ml or fl have to sacrifice themselves to save the people/world from vilians, I really loved the fact that both main leads learned to face such choices together by coming up with ulternatives that would help both of them survive and solve the ultimate desparate and imminent dilemma they face. The ending was very sweet happily ever after with all the beloved characters safe and sound and no unnecessary slaughter of supporting characters, so mostly villains died. ZT and princess Tianji got their most dreamy ending too. I'm extremely impressed by bestest end for our perfect and majestic main couple that they absolutely deserve!!! 😍 ✨️ 💖ദ്ദി(。•̀ ,<)~✩‧₊
💫I really need them in a new modern drama. I just can't get enough of them. Everyday I waited with excitement for next episode and I hoped that this drama would never ever end and I was not ready to say good bye to such eathereal, talented and dreamy cast. I have thoroughly enjoyed every second of this drama and I very highly recommend it to anyone who loves romance, fantasy, suspense, and wuxia. It's 10/10 for me in every aspect. (ノ´ヮ´)ノ*:・゚✧
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