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Watching a story about a spinster who is told she only has a few months to live may be a turn off to some viewers, but this drama offers much more than scenes set up to make you cry. There's definitely humor, and at the heart of this drama is a great romance. Though the premise of the romance is pretty standard, Lee Dong Wook & Kim Sun Ah have amazing chemistry. There's one tango scene in particular that I would call one of the hottest scenes I've seen in any drama. Lee Dong Wook really is a talented actor, and it doesn't hurt that he looks really good in a shower.
I only have a few criticisms. I hated a couple of the main songs, which killed the mood at times, and I was unimpressed by the love theme sung by the two leads, which was the only romantic moment that felt forced/cheesy to me. The biggest criticism I have is that way too much time was spent on Seo Hyo Rim's character. Though she played her character well, she was too one-dimensional to need that much focus. Some of the scenes revolving around her plot seemed like they were put there just to fill up the time. Time could have been better spent on Uhm Ki Joon's character, who turned out to be one of my favorites.
I definitely recommend buying a few extra boxes of tissue, and watching this drama. About halfway through the tone of the drama starts to change, and I wasn't sure If watching such a tearjerker was a good idea, but the ending was so well done that it was absolutely worth it. I could see myself rewatching this for the great romantic moments, to be inspired to live life to the fullest, and because it was so beautifully shot. There's some really gorgeous cinematography that made me long to go on a vacation asap… and possibly learn to tango.
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Intriguing opener but terrible plot development
Mainly going to review the plot because the other components (acting/cast and music) were great.I really liked how the story was captivating from the start (different from typical C-drama openers) and there was always a new story or goal for at least one of the characters/pairs. However, the plot did dragged in the middle because there's a lot of couples and the drama goes into each couple's story at some point. Each character/couple's "story" refers to their romantic lives, family relationships, AND work/jobs, so you can probably see why this drama ends up at 50 episodes... They also introduced a few new minor characters in the middle, which gave a nice break from the main characters' endless stories but also meant there's someone else's story to follow now.
IMO, the drama would have been more interesting if they expanded on Mowgli's adapting to civilization and the FL helping him adjust because that was what intrigued me the most. And it's not that I didn't enjoy the other couples, but if they only focused on one or two primary couples like most dramas do, then the drama could have ended wonderfully at the typical 20 or so episodes. Also worth mentioning that the story went downhill in the end, everything became super unrealistic and the ending was just unsatisfactory and weird. There was a lot of potential with this novel story but it didn't turn out for me.
Overall, it was still a good watch to kill time, but not amazing enough to get you hooked and waiting anxiously for the next episodes to come out. If I rewatched, I'd probably watch the first half of the drama again and stop there.
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一婿二赘 (yī xù èr zhuì) - The Son-In-Law
A “zhui xu” (赘婿) is a man married into a woman’s family and their offspring would adopt the wife’s family name to continue her bloodline and would inherit her family’s status and fortunes. This is usually done when the woman’s family does not produce a legitimate son for an heir. Such practice is common in ancient and modern-day China, especially for wealthy families. The 一婿二赘 here means one man being married into 2 women’s families which is very unusual, and that makes this story very interesting.Li You is married into a wealthy family as a “zhui xu”. However, he is looked down on by his wife and her family and they constantly bully, belittle and beat him. One day, he is beaten so badly that he loses consciousness. In his coma, he dreams he returns to ancient times and becomes a low-level constable. He brings his modern-day knowledge and impresses many with his resourcefulness, intelligence and most of all, his poetic ability. He always seems to compose poems on the spot that describe the situations at those particular moments. He gains fame and many become his allies including his superiors.
Two men, a merchant and a military official, are looking for “zhui xu” (sons-in-law) for their daughters, one a business woman while the other a martial artist. Both fathers choose Li You for their daughters because of his amazing talents. As it turns out, Li You is forced into two marital contracts that none would agree to rescind. Li You’s boss, the magistrate, rules informally that Li You oblige both marriages by alternating his nights between two wives. Li You accepts the arrangement with one caveat: if he excels beyond his fathers-in-law in terms of wealth and status in three years, his marital status would be reversed, and he is no more a “zhui xu”, thereon, his wives would follow him into his “Li” household.
As the days go by, Li You helps solve many administrative issues and with his martial art wife, he cracks criminal cases for the magistrate and gets his promotions one after another. At the same time, his business acumen helps his business-minded wife in expanding their business and profits. Both women fall in love with him because he is kind and gentle to them. And for Li You, he also falls in love with both women with no preference for one over the other.
This drama hasn’t caught much attention in MDL, probably because of unavailability of good English subtitles at the time of this writing. But the lack of attention is also most likely due to the choice of the male lead actor, Guan Yunpeng who may not have a wide fan base. “Zai Xia Li You” is the first drama for Guan Yunpeng playing a main role. Though not as good looking as the other more popular and prominent actors, I find the choice very appropriate. Guan Yunpeng looks like a wimpy kid who is exactly the character of Li You. His timidness and helplessness with fast-to-please demeanor, and at times his courage and determination, are all well performed and believable.
The whole cast is well selected though most of the actors have low public profiles. Each actor carries out his/her respective role very convincingly. Having said that, I find at the beginning scenes in modern times, the characters are overexaggerated and overacted (I almost dropped this drama because of the overacting). Fortunately, such cringey acting only lasts for a few minutes and has not affected the overall performance that comes later.
My Verdict
This is an interesting story of a wimpy character that turns into a hero as he grows. However, the script has multiple plot holes. One of the characters, Li Huan, a singer, seems to have a background that crosses paths with the antagonists, but her plot arch has never been explored and developed for closure. The motives of the antagonists are also not compelling and the ultimate villain behind all the heinous schemes is yet to be revealed and brought to justice. The ending of the dream is satisfactory. However, Li You is still in a dream when the story ends in present time; he remains at status quo in reality (still a lowly "zhui xu").
For romance buffs who believe in a one-to-one relationship for a man and a woman, this story may not go down well with them as Li You loves and cares for both wives equally and receives the same admiration and love from the two wives who are amiable to each other.
For a drama which does not boast popular actors with elaborate spending, I’m surprised by its beautiful soundtracks which the production did not skim on. The detailed explanation and analysis of the poems used in each episode are impressively elaborated at the end of the episode. It is very enlightening to understand the contemporaneous culture, life and feelings of the respective poets through their poems.
Overall, this is an unexpected drama that I have enjoyed. It provides a decent watch in between shows and deserves some attention. Poetic with an interesting storyline. Don’t miss it!
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Chaotic, complex, and eye-opening.
First things first - watching this film was an experience. I thought that I was watching a documentary rather than a film - this is probably influenced by the fact that this is based on true events. I got sucked into its delivery and realism which was quite heavy to take in. If you aren't used to watching heavily-themed films, then this will be a difficult one to watch.MOTHER reminds me of a Nojima Shinji kind-of story wherein the 'negative sides' of humanity, the complexities of human relationships, are laid bare. They aren't shown in a showy manner but as they are - dirty, difficult to comprehend, and even psychotic. The relationship between Akiko (the mother) and Shuhei (the son) is anything but what society sees as acceptable, yet to the latter, it is his norm and accepted reality. This film isn't just about murder, abuse, and casual sex - it's also about how twisted 'love' can be, how manipulation and violence can play heavily into a person's sense of dependency and reliance, and how things aren't always understandable on the surface, especially one of a relationship between a mother and son who have been together all their lives, one that's for better or for worse.
Impressive acting by the cast, especially by Nagasawa Masami - a natural, I must say - and Okudaira Daiken, whose eyes and expressions tell more than what he says. Hats off to Gunji Sho's Shuhei as well. The story moves from one timeline to another yet with consistency that doesn't leave you completely hanging. The music and the silence came in at the right times, adding to the heavy atmosphere that the film has.
If you're looking for a film that's gonna make you feel blissful, this is not that. MOTHER is gonna leave you with thoughts to ponder on and with an ending that doesn't inspire - it's simply a naked cut.
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This review may contain spoilers
A typical setup with an atypical plot and characters....
I accidentally stumbled upon this drama and I'm very glad that I did. This is my first Filipino drama so I did not have much expectations from it. As many viewers seem to mention that this is a Filipino version of Boys over flowers (BoF). The first half of the first episode I also felt like that because of the setup. A poor girl gets into an elite school where 4 rich guys basically rule it and she offends the leader landing her in trouble and making her the target of all the bullies of the school.But as the show went on I saw the major differences between the 2 shows. He's into her (HIH) establishes a very detailed family background, atleast for the main leads. The FL is the love child of a commoner and a rich heir. She doesn't end up at the aforementioned elite school through a scholarship but is enrolled by her father who finds her after years and takes her in. She doesn't go with him because she wants to know him or wants to live a comfortable life but to pay him back for helping with the medical bills of her grandma. The FL's major struggles involves countering the bullies and trying to fit in not only in school but also with her father's family.
The ML is established as a jerk at first which is later revealed to be a defense mechanism to counter his own family issues. He hurts others to take his mind off of the problems in his life like his comatose brother or ignorant mother. Both the leads are shown to be different at first but as the series progresses they find similarities in their lives which ultimately helps in their relationship and chemistry development.
As compared to BoF, HIH is a bit more realistic. The FLs family in BoF is poor just because, despite running a small business. In HIH the FL's grandma falls sick and the hospital bills pile up while the income declines resulting in their financial crisis. The ML in BoF stopped bullying the FL because he started liking her and went back to bullying her when she rejected him. In HIH the ML realized that he was wrong to bully people without knowing them or their circumstances and was helped by the FL in stopping bullying at their school. This part is the most significant development as it shows how HIH's ML is better compared to that of BoF for realizing, accepting and rectifying his mistakes. Instead of forcing the FL to be with him and stalking and obsessing over her like the ML from BoF, the ML of HIH slowly pursued the FL and took her on dates, helped and supported her and finally won her heart.
Now I know this may seem minor differences to some and some hardcore fans of BoF might argue saying how can a short web drama even compare to kdrama romcom classic let alone be better. But trust me and just watch this and you'll know that these minor differences is what makes this drama better in story, quality and performance. To use an analogy BoF is like a dish from a 5 star restaurant, expensive, flashy and tasteless whereas HIH is a dish from your favorite restaurant, hearty, tasty and soul satisfying. You gotta try it to experience it.
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1This review may contain spoilers
we best love? we do love!
as a sucker for enemies to lovers trope, this was like an early valentine's day present from a lover that i don't even have. the tone of the drama is simply cute and the plot is pretty simple with some sub plots that will most likely be explored in season 2.the chemistry between shou yi and shi de is unarguably present throughout the drama. i believe despite the simple and non-extraordinary plot, the viewers (me, myself included) were looking forward to every week's episodes of fluffy and squeal-inducing atmosphere that the main leads brought about.
probably the only thing that was a hit or miss for me was the acting of some side characters (i'm just nitpicking) or the way certain scenes transitioned. in terms of acting, i'd say the actors did a good job. shou yi's actor shook me to the core when i found out that this was his acting debut. the romance between the leads wasn't awkward or forced. i could see that they had a natural chemistry and it definitely makes me look forward to their future projects, whether individual or as a pair.
another hit or miss was the ending. i'd say the finale felt like the calm before the storm. the cute scenes between the two had my trust issues at its peak and i was thinking it was building up to something destructive. we were briefly introduced to shou yi's dad which didn't feel warm at all. the ending sort of felt empty and shi de leaving didn't really give me a feeling that it's an impactful scene. however, it's nice that there was no big fight scene and it didn't end on a sour note.
overall, a cute drama like this is always appreciated as i prefer seeing the main leads bicker (in a good way) and be whipped for each other. all i can say is i'm tired of misunderstandings so this is a good pick-me-up drama.
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Wow. Like, legit.
This show was good. Really good. I knew in the first 3 minutes I was in for a treat. GREAT acting, plot, music. Great cast all around. Such a vivid and believable setting.Loved Jet and Charn. LOVED those two together. I really wish we saw them married but gah, they were actually my favorite. Tle and FirstOne are AMAZING.
Now Peem and Khem. Interesting relationship. I wanted to love it but I was kinda confused. Can they not be intimate? Even at the end they were kind of awkward together. I felt like these two deserved a bit more in the end. Keng and Namping, however, NAILED the roles. God, these guys were gorgeous.
All the cast was gorgeous. I love how quirky and lively Thai culture is. I can't wait to see more from these guys.
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But once again, if you are NOT looking for something very subtle, gentle, and slow, this show will be a huge disappointment. I personally found it to be a ready break from the rush of my daily life and the other shows I have watched, and I thought it was a masterpiece. This being said, I wouldn't recommend it to someone who would not enjoy such a quiet and gentle drama.
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Jung Hae In is an incredible man. I couldn't stop smiling seeing him walking by the city and expressing himself. He just was amazed by everything, and this was very beautiful for me. A man who is pretty famous and has money, people, many experiences... Just amazed by a sunset, or a construct, or the lights of a building... He just smiled all time. Obviously, I didn't know Hae In, but this vlog can show to us that he is a simple person even having so many resources. When Im Hyun Soo and Eun Jong Geon joined the trip, my heart melted. Their friendship is incredibly beautiful and everything was very fun. Technically speaking, the images were incredibly beautiful, the edition was so funny and the Travel Playlist of Hae In was amazing too! I really felt as I was there.
I've just finished the last episode and I'm in tears. The confessions that they shared in the restaurant was just beautiful! I don't tell you about it because you need to see this with your own eyes, but I could feel sincerity with them and I was very touched too. I hope that Hyun Soo and Eun Jong Geon will get a lot of opportunities and show their talent with proud, and hope that Hae In continues on his way, being an amazing actor but still showing how amazing person he is.
This was a "chosen one" for me! (★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★) If you looking for something fun and beautiful to distract, this is your call.
See you soon!
XOXO, Mari.
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This review may contain spoilers
Best Watched Without Minding the Original Material
This is not a 'genuine' adaptation of Sweet Home. More like a 'loose' one but yes this wasn't anything like the webtoon with how they selectively only take the idea of monsters appearing out of nowhere, with people surviving amidst of it and a boy who's happened to be able to resist the monster inside his head, and turns it into a 10-episode show. They lose the essence of original material when they decided end this show with that ending. It's pretty obvious that they're planning to further utilize the core story of the original material to create a seasonal work, judging how different the route it takes throughout the story. You'll be disappointed if you read the webtoon because many characters are not the same, some are added for no reason, and suddenly this turns into a usual apocalyptic story with a supposedly hero to 'save' humanity. What the webtoon tries to rely is beyond that. Both works are straight up different in terms of characters' growth & plot progression.Not to mention the way the show placed its background music is just plain disastrous. The webtoon gives off suspenseful & eerie vibes whenever the monster's around, while at the same being unsettling in peeling out the layer of the main question of the whole thing: what does it mean to be a human, or a monster?It talks about greed, desire, and everything beyond that. The music (and the plot, I might need to say) fails to deliver that, and instead turn on the ever-repetitive song to made the whole scene more 'exciting' when it's supposed to elicit fear and anxiousness from ones who watch it. Not only it disturb the mood the whole scene was particularly going for, it also ruined the suspenseful vibes it tries so hard to build by suddenly making this more looking like an entertaining action-focused story. Which is wrong (and ridiculous) because the monster's supposed to be a real & full-blown horror to all the survivors. It's supposed to make you feel afraid and nervous, which it ultimately failed to be at the end.
This is best watched as a separate work, rather as an adaptation. Because it's clearly not being faithful to what the original material aims for, and it will further prevent you from experiencing it to its best quality. Once I let go my expectation that I've long had due to my deep attachment to the webtoon, Sweet Home as an entire piece is still a good watch for what it's worth. Song Kang was impeccable as Hyun-soo despite the minimal effort the show put to build his personal growth. Go Min-si & Park Kyu-young was great, the entire casting line-up has been nothing but incredible, really. And Lee Do-hyun!Brilliant as ever.
Speaking of directing, considering it was done by Lee Eun-bok who also brought Mr. Sunshine & Goblin, I think there's not much to worry about. Everything's exquisitely done and the action scenes are well-executed to say the least. Although I feel like the nosebleed scenes are too much sometimes lmfao. A lot of gory scenes are shown here, but nothing explicit. I wasn't a fan of gore, but still handles this just fine. Really loved the bits where they shown the 'monstrous' version of Hyun-soo near the finale, by the way. Short but impactful for sure.
Sweet Home is, all in all, a decent show. It's fast-paced, thrilling, and heartwarming at times it need to be. Admittedly there's a serious lack of character development shown toward several major characters, but this is an action drama at its best. You'll enjoy it better if you treat it as something it tries to be, that's all. Anyways, if you haven't read the webtoon, please read it, before or after you watch the show. It was that good. Enjoy the show nonetheless!
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This stupid law serves as the plot device for the character development of these characters, it taught them a lot about themselves, what they want in a partner and also what they lack as a person. It also raised a lot of question on peoples view on marriage, how it affects their lives and especially the role of minorities in a society where this law is implemented such as people who don't have Japanese citizenship, people who are sick and members of LGBT, so in some way this law is not pure negative but there is also positive like the awareness this law brought up. With so many layers and prejudices in this 8 episode drama, it may sound so ambitious but in my opinion they pull it off quite brilliantly.
Romance is not the main point in the story, it is the philosophy of marriage, but it doesn't mean there is no couple we can root for in this story. Acting is quite good from the actors but the stand out is definitely Nomura Shuhei, who brilliantly portrays this character who suffers from OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder). Music by Yu Takahashi is so good and damn catchy that it always managed to hype every episode.
The ending is cute and you can tell this law is the best thing that happen to our leads. They grow up to a person they wanted as their partner, which makes them suited for each other in the end, and I love the phrase "Marriage isn't a human obligation, but you also have the right to get married".
Check my Blog for other reviews & other JDramas stuffs. (｡◕‿‿◕｡)
https://thatjapanesedramaguy.blogspot.com/
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Soap Opera on Steroids (Feat. Abs, Guns, and Zero Brain Cells Required)
Clicked this on a whim and accidentally had a great time. Hihihi. This drama is a juicy, unhinged mess and I say that with affection. The guilty-pleasure stamp wasn’t applied—it was violently slammed on.I like this FL in mini dramas and she did not fumble the bag. She slayed, your honor. Fully committed to chaos, eyeliner sharp, revenge sharper.
The ML was a new face for me and yes, he’s very young and no, he doesn’t quite have that capital-P Presence yet—but listen. He brought the abs. Case closed. Humbly accepted.
Their dynamic is a nonstop love-hate-kiss-hate loop that feels like foreplay designed by a caffeinated soap opera writer, and somehow we eat.
This is NOT a high-morality, think-piece drama. This is “I crave chaos and logic is optional” television. Brain fully off. Vibes aggressively on. Guns appearing out of thin air? Check. Revenge-driven characters making decisions based solely on feelings and spite? Check. FL getting choked every now and then because the genre spun a wheel and landed on it? Check. OTT, delulu, doing-the-most second male lead? Obviously. ML being catastrophically down bad and jealous to a medically concerning degree? DOUBLE check. This is soap-opera logic injected straight into the bloodstream—because duh, look at the title.
Spice level is medium-sizzling and climbing with every kiss. The plot requires a strong belief in the universe and a willingness to just… go with it. Republican mini dramas are a wild beast genre and this one is no exception.
The ending is open, but very much leaning toward a happy-open situation for the leads, which feels like a miracle after the absolute circus that was the final stretch.
Verdict: loud, messy, mildly unhinged, spiritually unserious, and weirdly satisfying. This is the drama you watch when you don’t want peace, growth, or lessons—you want entertainment and a little emotional damage on the side.
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One word: Beautiful
I've been waiting for this series to air since the first trailer drops, and when it does air, it does not disappoint at all. I didn't really get my hopes up but it exceeded my expectation, really.I love how the relationship between Tian and Phupha develops ever so naturally. Like it just happens. They spend time together and gradually grow fond of each other's presence. They don't need skinship to show their feelings towards another because the way they look at each other already holds much affection.
Not to mention Tian's character development, he went from selfish to selfless :)
The series ended perfectly, couldn't say anything more
Definitely one of my favorite BL shows to ever air
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Acting/Cast: Full marks for acting. All veteran actors and actresses; so you can expect mature and professional acting.
Music: Sombre, sweet but most times, reminiscence of love won and lost. The music reflects nicely the feel of this movie.
Rewatch value: Personally, I am the sort of romatic who would go for comedy romance as I love to de-stress while watching a movie or drama. This movie is a wonderful movie; the re-watch value simply reflects my personal preference for only re-watching something that is light and sweet that helps me to relax. This movie makes me cry out like a baby; so I won't be re-watching it anytime soon. However, for those of you who loves tragic romance type of movie, this one here is a winner for you!
Overall: A good movie. Certainly worth the recommendation. However, I would include my recommendation with a warning for keeping a box of tissue next to you before you hit the play button. Trust me - you'll need it!
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For those who like male lead
I watched the drama Renascence only because of the male lead. I have watched his other dramas and I really enjoy his acting.Regarding the drama, I liked it until the 19th episode; the story was somewhat captivating. After that, it became flat. I didn’t like the direction of the plot where she spent the whole day with him to complete her date list and even expressed her feelings by kissing him, but left him the same day. Since she planned to marry the king, why did she give him false hope, especially knowing he was already heartbroken?
Another part of the plot I didn’t like was when she surrendered herself to the king and spent a night with him, although Ye Jun Qing still resided in her heart.
After watching the entire drama, I felt it was a little boring.
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