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Completed
Code Blue
20 people found this review helpful
by Akki
Dec 24, 2012
11 of 11 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
I'm writing this review while rewatching this drama for the third time. I absolutely don't feel bored, I'm not skipping even one second of the episode and I'm enjoying it like the first time.
When you look at the story, It's simply about daily life of doctors and different kinds of cases to confront with, but it's actually much more than that. It's about accepting the challenges that life brings you every day - win over and you'll become much more skilled doctor and a way better person than you were before. Doctors can change the lives of patients, but patients' stories can change the lives of doctors as well. You can feel their stories and realize how valuable your life is. Sometimes you'll tear up, sometimes you'll laugh, naturally some stories are better than others, but every story, every episode has it's own meaning.
We have four young people in this drama, each of them with a totally different personality, using their own, different ways to reach the top of their medical careers. We also have the senior doctors with their own stories, experiences and hardships to go through. I really liked how they chose the patients - almost every patient had a story to help our heroes to get over their fears or troubles.
Actors did an amazing job portraying their roles and for Yamapi's fans - i have to say - this was one of the best roles he ever played, if not even the best, but that's my personal opinion after all. Girls were also fantastic.
As for music, I'm giving it 10, since i feel like it was suitable and i don't think it was the big factor in this drama. I would watch it even without music.
Be patient if you don't understand some medical terms, it's not that important for the story but believe me, you'll get to learn them quickly. Anyway, if you're not expecting fairytales, I'm sure you'll like this drama. It's pure reality.

And at the end, I'd like to explain why I gave it 9 and not 10. Actually, it's simple - only because I liked the second season more. It gave me the stronger impression although both have the same meaning.
Enjoy watching it!

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Completed
When My Love Blooms
20 people found this review helpful
by MERO
Jun 15, 2020
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 3.5

it's slow drama and usually slow drama either can make you fall in love or feel bored to death..
when my love blooms was Literally both in some episode was so enjoyable and feel love in the air if you into that type of slow run and with the cute youth couple your heart fluttering and see the pain of old couple but in other episode i want to drop because it was so slow but i hold for the young couple.

story as idea was good but i think they get lost as they make it longer this could do a perfect 8 or 10ep drama not 16. also the 90's steal the light as story from the present.
how much i wish this drama was only about the youth couple the are so fresh to watch that i want to give them 10/10 in everything from feel to acting and chemistry. if someone edit their scenes only and make it short drama i can give it 10/10. jinyoung and sonee was the heart of the drama the breath that make you want to watch more and more.
i don't hate old couple don't get me wrong, i loved old jaehyun (yoo ji tae) and can feel pretty much why girls fall for him but the story was so dragged on the old couple part. all that fight in the company and all was useless and old jisoo get into my nerve sometimes.

Acting : i think everyone did pretty good especially Sonee she shine so bright in this character , Jinyoung too beside his good acting i feel that he connected to old jaehyun more like i believed they are the same person more than jisoo don't know if he buy more eye to details of the older move and tone or that Jisoo character change a lot.

i love how they end it the most out of anything that scene was like comforting to all characters. i love when director know how to end drama that's why i rise my rate to 8.



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Completed
Hunter
20 people found this review helpful
Jun 6, 2021
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 10
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 9.0

Dances with Wolves

Originally known as Hunter, this drama was re-titled to The Wolf Hunter which is consistent with its original Chinese name, 猎狼者. It is neither focused on the animal nor about hunting it. The “wolf” here (狼 or ‘lang’) is a metaphorical representation of poachers, and the term is used frequently throughout the drama.

I’m just going to say this right off the bat. To me, The Wolf Hunter is one of the year’s best C-dramas. In terms of the production values and design, screenplay, cast, action choreography, cinematography, and the absolutely stunning vistas of the breathtaking untamed Xinjiang wilderness and natural landscapes where principal photography took place. There are countless beautifully framed shots and scenes littered throughout that watching this drama for the scenery alone is quite worth it.

Having said all that, the drama is not without its flaws. There have been reports that the drama was scaled down from 12 to 8 episodes, purportedly to cut out the more violent and gory scenes. Whatever the reasons may be, certain editing issues and scene transitions that affect the continuity of the story development are clearly noticeable. The drama unfortunately also lacks a compelling original music composition as part of its soundtrack to match the grandeur of the visuals. Last but not least, I wanted to catch more glimpses of the furry wildlife that the rangers are protecting but, to no avail. Sadly, all I got were horses and sheep.

Notwithstanding the gorgeous visuals, this drama may not appeal to everyone because of the inherently dark nature of the story.

The drama is set in China’s Northwestern frontiers of Xinjiang where regions of vast deserts and mountains can be found. The narrative is based on the struggles faced by local law enforcement (the police and auxiliary force of rangers) in protecting the abundant wildlife in the surrounding nature reserves from unscrupulous poachers whose illegal fur trading activities have been running rampant for years with little regard for the law.

The plot centres on the titular character, Wei Jiang, as he overcomes the burden of guilt from his past (along with PTSD) to wreak vengeance upon the very same group of poachers who had brutally murdered his partner 5 years prior to the events of the present day. It is a simple story which is conveyed in a no-nonsense, raw, gritty and visceral manner that explores themes of retribution, redemption, family, and friendship. The tone is sombre with atmospherics that at times feel dismal and dark. The depiction of violence is balanced with the presence of psychological suspense. Some elements of slice-of-life are also added into the storytelling.

As a psychological thriller, the drama succeeds in delivering palpable tension and suspense. There are many such moments that are akin to a Mexican standoff where you just don’t know what is going to happen next. The action sequences are quite expertly executed as well, with scenes of gun battles, car and horse chases, close range melee in both the great outdoors and enclosed spaces. The dialogue, delivered as a live recording instead of the usual overdubbing, is compelling and realistic.

Kudos to the production crew for not only providing authentic gear and equipment, but also for achieving the right look that convinces me the actors really do belong in the actual setting. Everyone looks weathered and rugged, with the right amount of facial hair and sunburn to match their equally ragged outfits.

In terms of the acting, I thought that the main cast are exceptional and fit perfectly into their respective roles. Qin Hao needs no introduction as the consummate mastery of his craft clearly shows in his portrayal as the lead, Wei Jiang. I’m quite impressed with Yin Fang who plays the second lead, policeman Qin Chuan. He is relatively new in dramas but rather prolific in films where I’ve last seen him in Operation Red Sea. There are a number of familiar faces in the supporting cast which I found rather amusing. Notable mentions include Sui Yong Liang (Young Blood), Zhao Wei (Tribes & Empire), Yin Zhu Sheng (TRoP, Ever Night) and Qu Gao Wei (NIF2, Tribes & Empires). These experienced actors certainly raised the quality levels of the production. I won’t elaborate further on who plays which character so as not to spoil the intrigue but suffice to say, everyone has done commendable work as far as the acting is concerned.

On the whole, The Wolf Hunter is a compelling drama that’s comparable to Western productions and it gives me vibes of The Revenant, True Detective and Fargo. With only 8 episodes at an hour’s length each, the storytelling is compact and tight while the portrayal is utterly convincing. This is one of the few C-dramas that contain absolutely no useless fillers, illogical plot holes or unrealistic characters (and cast, for that matter). This drama is absolutely recommended viewing.

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Completed
Kokdu: Season of Deity
20 people found this review helpful
Apr 15, 2023
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 4.0
Story 4.5
Acting/Cast 6.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

There were times I wanted to gouge out my eyes!

Positives:
Kim Jung Hyun as Kokdu: I love him as an actor. He's got a somewhat rugged look about him. He's not a "pretty boy", and he's very expressive. He's an actor that is able to do broad comedy with flair and believability and then cut your heart out in his serious scenes, with tears running down his cheeks. It gets me every time.

Cha Chung Hwa as Gak Shin: She's a very interesting actress. She has the ability to look totally different, based on the part she is playing. She can appear older sometimes, younger at others. Her character was funny, quirky, and I loved how she took Gye Jeol under her wing, walking the line between here and the afterlife.

Kim In Kwon as Ok Shin: This might sound strange, but I love his face, it's big and round with lots of surface area for the great expressions he conveys. Ok Shin was a good character, and I really enjoyed his story line with Gak Shin.

Cinematography and locales: Beautiful! The church was lovely, Kokdu's house was awesome, and the lighthouse area was just beautiful. I loved the color palette they used for filming and the soft filtering they did with the camera work.

There was a happy ending, which kept me from throwing something at my tv after wasting my time watching this.

That's pretty much it. Now, on the other side of the coin, the negatives for me were:

Im Soo Hyang: I don't care for her AT ALL. Personally, I don't think she could act her way out of a paper bag. She has a totally flat affect, and her eyes are always open really wide like she's wandering around in a constant state of surprise. I've seen her in other things and haven't cared for her. Remember, just my opinion, but I had to fast forward through a lot of it, especially her, because it was so bad. Add her bad acting to the awful character she was portraying, and it was a train wreck. She was supposedly a doctor, but every time anyone had a medical emergency, she did absolutely nothing. I didn't buy her as a doctor for that reason, as well as the fact that she was whiny, immature, clingy and spent most of the drama sobbing. Was that so it looked like she was displaying some emotion? I don't know, but her character was awful, from beginning to end.

The storylines: Too many! There was so much going on. They could have cut back on the multiplicity of story lines and given us some more depth of character. I fast forwarded, a lot, and I still felt like it would never be over.

Chemistry: The brother and his girlfriend - The brother was so cute, and I enjoyed his story line, and I liked the wedding, but not much chemistry between him and his girlfriend. But you will never go amiss with a man that can cook. Which brings me to the ML and FL - I wasn't feeling ANY chemistry between these two. The kisses were not the typical open-eyed, arms at the sides kisses, which I appreciated, but I just didn't buy them as a couple. Wait, I could buy them as a friend couple, but not as a romantic couple.

So, I would say that I you have a lot of patience/tolerance and are wondering if you should watch this, you could give it a try. These opinions are just mine, but there is no way I would recommend that anyone watch this.

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Ongoing 38/38
Lookism
20 people found this review helpful
Nov 28, 2019
38 of 38 episodes seen
Ongoing 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.5
People who are considering watching this drama are probably mostly people who have read the webtoon and are interested in its adaptation to mainstream television. Well, for one thing, come with an open-mind because a lot of main plot points were changed probably to fit the story-line better.

The cast are amazing at representing a lot of elements from the original webtoon like bullying and inequality in the world. This drama brings a fresh take on the already popular webtoon, Lookism. While the drama eliminates many characters from the webtoon in also brings in many new ones whilst keeping the fundamental characters to play their roles.

The plot is enticing and there are enough cliffhangers to leave you hanging by a thread at the end of every episode. It is quite evident that a lot of thoughts was put into the compatibility of the original story-line and how to translate that to mainstream media. It definitely holds enough re-watch potential that I find myself watching previous episodes waiting for the release of the next set of episodes. Also, not to mention, the soundtrack is quite fire and really catchy for a Chinese drama.

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Completed
A Life: A Love
20 people found this review helpful
Apr 14, 2017
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.5
If you're here for the romance, well you might be a little disappointed because you won't get much of that.
But if you're watching this for the story, the development of the characters, and for the medical story itself, you would be fine watching this.
Some may find this drama boring, maybe I am just used to watching Japanese drama that I am certainly not really expecting too many romantic moments, plus this is a supposedly slice-of-life / medical drama, so I can say I enjoy it as much...
I like Kimura's character here as Dr. Okita. He went from an ordinary doctor of Danjo Hospital, and went abroad to further his skills and went back for a mission to operate the director of Danjo. I like how he always look so relax for a doctor.
One of my favorites characters is Dr. Igawa, he is so bubbly and adorable. The way sometimes he deals with situations like he is totally clueless or can't read the atmosphere, but when a situation needs to be more serious or requires a sensitive moment especially when calling out for Okita's behavior, he gives him a scolding.
I used to work in a hospital, but not on the Medical Department, but somehow watching this drama makes me want to be one. I can't guarantee accuracy of the terms and medical procedures here, but it feels great and amazes me watching it.
Also I love how the friendship of Okita & Masao showed in the end. They may have some rivalry in the romance side, but their friendship and the way they cared for Mifuyu prevailed in the end.
The only thing I wished for this drama is that I hope there more episodes, or at least a side-story for the other characters.
For rewatch value, I might pick it up again sometime.

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Completed
P.S. I Hate You
20 people found this review helpful
by __renz
Sep 27, 2022
18 of 18 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

IF YOU DON'T LIKE SH!TTY CHARACTERS... THEN BACK OFF. THIS IS NOT FOR YOU!!!

STORY: i have to admit... i assume this is more of a pll ripoff story (sarreh, im a pll fan) but definitely exceeded my expectations for a thriller/mystery genre series but still bringing the same vibes (there's murder, betrayal, s3x and definitely secrets) but created in the most maturest way and the most havoc way for the characters to ride on. many fans mentioned that they changed a few parts of the story from the novel to the series version (sarreh again, im not thai and haven't read the novel ☹️ so i cannot judge the changes), but ntl, this is still good regardless of the changes occurred.

ACTING/CASTS: might make this short for all characters to be mentioned.
Prae/Pantiwa: kinda iffy? i knew she wants to defend her friends but still, she did it in a wrong way. so her role is a goody-two-shoes here. as for Pearwah, good job reprising Prae to the point of making me hate you cuz of Prae.
Meen/Meena: might pity her, she doesn't deserve too much suffering even during her highschool days but still, she isn't the kindest of them all. a 50/50 for her. for Jan, hoping gmmtv give her big roles like this, she deserves it and she slays in here.
Wanwan/Tidawan: the most psychopathic and selfish of them all but still a loving sister, so that part is a green flag. but overall about her, she's the most disliking character here. Pat did really excel among the rest, her acting is somehow superb yet convincing (disclaimer: not stating that the rest weren't good but pointing that she shines on her own without outwitting the rest) so great for her, hoping she get projects like this, inside or outside gmmtv.
May/Maytacha: definitely has the most realistic realizations and happened to be my sudden fav character among the rest. i like her pov the most for realism from this in-denial and sometimes a head-turner and biased to more understanding person she can be. Fah slays here and her clothes really suits her appearance so its an added points why she was a perfect choice for the character (i can imagine Namtan excelling as May also but Fah is the perfect standard of Maytacha Kantisena and i thank you...period).
Saras/Sarasawadee: probably has the shocking pov, especially i happened to like her the most before due to sudden change of personality for Term but not anymore. she may be the kindest in the friends' cycle but definitely one of the most unlikeable characters here for identity theft and frustrated murder. so kinda iffy as well like Prae, they had good characteristics but dislikeable flaws. good job for Aye, she definitely slays here as well, might be one of her best series so far.
Pal/Palana: the most mischievous yet intriguing character of all. her character is somewhat pitiful yet doubtful to help for being manipulative to get her wants. overall, she is a 50/50 also for me. wishing for Jamie to have more big roles like this.
Pitch: definitely hate him eversince, he's not sincere and such a sadist, i didn't wonder that much about his role since Lee even mentioned before that his role will be the fiasco maker. yeah, as much as i love Lee, this is definitely one the roles i hate him the most. job well done for an effective hidden antagonist.
Non/Chanon: like May, has the most realistic realization throughout the series yet still being a d!ckhead as he is. from this hard-headed to humble is a green flag for me. wishing also for Pluem to earn bigger roles, he deserves to be a leading actor.
Term/Tapanon: the only light in their world full of darkness, definitely the most green flag of them all, his mistake is to fall for Saras without even knowing her in the first place, good thing he has the guts to know the truth about the latter's deceitfulness. good thing Mond reprised Lieutenant Term, a big role for him like he deserves. hoping for more bigger roles for him, its been years since he had his last lead role and i think he deserves more for this future projects.
Khun/Khunphol & Pu/Pureenut (gonna judge them the same time, they have the same judgement for me): i doubted their identity at first for being secretive but later revealed their true intentions: they were kind-hearted for helping Meen and those secrets were hidden to avoid bad publicity especially for Pu. for their bl part, i admit they're kinda beefy for this but ntl, the chemistry is somehow surprising since i never though it would spark that much. for Guy, i hope for more projects for him and hoping for a lead role, like Mond, its been years since he had his lead role so gmmtv better give him one, the same as Papang, he deserves a bigger role and be a leading actor soon.
Win/Tanawin: when will you ever gonna woke up for your coma? that is my question for you. but tbh, his role is kinda sad for being a fool out of love, to the point of giving up on life. like Meen, he didn't the sufferings he is experiencing. his role is not that big but let's still appreciate Pawin for reprising Win, i guess it is hard to portray a role who's under coma but he make the viewers convinced for portraying that kind of role. may he get a lead role once again, maybe a bigger role than this.
Wee/Korawee: i still hold a grudge against him, i never feel remorse for him. a sexual predator, manipulator and i guess a pedophile(?) don't deserve death that way, he is still filled with hatred on his heart but i guess its karma who give him a taste of his own medicine so i guess he still deserves to die? probably the character shouldn't be tolerated is this guy (worse than Wanwan and Saras tbh). overall, Nat astounds yet given the fact that this is his 1st gmmtv project, hope he work with gmmtv once again in his future projects, seems like they giving him an intriguing role.
Chanutda, Tarinee and Saras's grandma: hate them, they were cold-hearted and full of hatred for their son/daughters/grandchild and hoping for a positive changes at the end (Chanutda for acceptance beneficial for herself. Tarinee for accepting her fate, whether good or bad. and Saras's grandma for life choices and visions). gonna give a round of applause for the ones who reprised them.
NOTE: the guest casts did great job for spicing the story even further, they still excel here afterall.

MUSIC: the musical scoring is great especially in the ep. 11 4/4 (timelapse: 0:59), the ominous sound, the melancholic, the suspense, etc. were great, wish to have the copy of those so i can enjoy doing some edits trololol-. the ending song sung by Aye suits the series especially the lyrics but the thing all the viewers of this want is the "in Your Eyes" song and hoping it might get released after the finale of the series so we can enjoy listening to the whole version of the song afterwards.

REWATCH VALUE: a 10/10, might watch this again after finale. this series questions on how friendship are glued and how much you trust people.

OVERALL: this is a great series overall, there are some loopholes but only minor part and aren't really necessary to be told too much (like most casts' family identity specifically Meen, May, Saras, Pal, Pu and Term's). if you're planning to watch this, you should definitely bring your theories and assumptions in every twists. might miss this ☹️

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Completed
The Great White Tower
20 people found this review helpful
Feb 12, 2017
21 of 21 episodes seen
Completed 16
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
White Tower is a metaphorical expression that is named in a way meant to criticize the Japanese medical system. Brace yourselves as this is going to be a really long review.

Before I start I’d like to say that I have always wanted to watch this drama ever since I heard all rave about it since I first started watching Asian dramas. Only, at that time I couldn’t find a way to watch it because back then Internet wasn’t as accessible as now and Asian dramas (especially J dramas) aren’t easily found streaming or even subbed. However, since I’ve decided to practice my Korean language through watching J dramas my first target would be those dramas which I’ve always longed to binge watch but couldn’t. Lucky for me a very good quality of this drama is available with Korean subs (and after long search I found Eng subs as well). The only reason I would be crazy enough to go for a medical, dialogue-rich drama such as White Tower in Korean subs is simply because I really wanted to watch it. “White Tower" was broadcasted in Japan in 2003, and in 2004, it won Japan TV Drama Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Director, and Casting Award. Because of its solid background, so I had a lot of expectations before even starting it and it has exceeded them.

The 'White Tower' is not a show of humanity, love, romance, etc., which is seen as a background for most of the medical dramas out there. White Tower is the desire of the humans to want to go higher. It shows humans constantly calculating in their minds and how they construct their behaviors in order to accomplish what they want. To put it simply it's not a medical drama, it's a story of various colors of humans. White grand tower: A white university general hospital, expressing its power and political color in its interior. Hence, is not a medical drama but a political drama.

Story:
Human desire for power and honor, battlefield of ambition surrounding the medical field. Based on the very popular Yamazaki Toyoko's novel "White Tower" this drama is a political story of doctors in a closed, bureaucratic university hospital. Yamazaki’s novel draws on the Osaka University School of Medicine as a model to draw attention to medical malpractices, the feudal system of medicine, and the struggle for power by doctors and so does the drama. For the sake of power, there is a dramatic struggle in the hospital centering on, Zaizen Goro, who seeks to hold all the power in his hand, and Satomi Shuji, who is seriously walking the doctor's path and is firmly idealistic in everything. The White Tower centers on the heroes who are on a constant path of choice, forcing extreme choices out of them. The main characters face conflict in the goal of the choice but they do not hesitate. The voice of a person who chooses power and honor sounds the same as his claim to keep his integrity and conscience. So the story goes around the hospital corridor like a tight knot that is never resolved. In the power struggle over the medical world, good and evil are only echoes for each other. The hospital is also a majestic tower in white clothing, but at the same time it is a dreary pit hidden behind a dark shade.

One of the good things about watching White Tower is the power of the story that comes from the power of human relationships. One evidential scene is when Zaizen Goro tells his father in-law “the problem isn’t the skill or talents it’s human relationships!!” And his father in-law laughs and says, “Of course it’s not the skills, if skills were enough the world would not be a battlefield would it?. It would be much easier world to live in if that was the case but it’s not” (You’d have to forgive me if that is not as accurate as it should be because this is what I understood from the scene which is interpreted through Korean subtitles).

The Great White Tower is divided into two, half of which is a cross-section of the organizational society in which various political patriots are involved in the election of the chief of the surgery, and the other half is the doctor, the hospital and the patient's legal confrontation surrounding the medical accident. There are various doctors in the white tower. A doctor who is ambition-seeking, a humanist doctor, and a researcher. So what is a doctor? What does a doctor do? The easiest way to understand a doctor is to concentrate on what "doctors do". In The Great White Tower however, the story is searching and revealing out characteristics of real doctors in our society and dealing with their dreams and ambitions. To put it in simple words this drama is basically aimed at presenting the theme of "what is a doctor" through the confrontation between Zaizen Goro and Satomi Shuji.

It is also a good insight on how the hierarchy system works in the medical world in Japan, for instance the professor becomes a professor through assistant professors. The professor holds only one person in his / her department, and takes over all the power of the position until he retires.

Acting and Characters (This is a long section because there are just too many characters worth mentioning but I tried to minimize the list with 4 only):
Karasawa Toshiaki as Zaizen Goro is a genius that specializes in esophageal surgery and is the best in esophageal surgery. Has a desire for success and a strong ambition, he chases after his honor and reputation rather than his patients. The performances of Karasawa Toshiaki made it possible for me to know what he was thinking and what is he going to do without having to read the subtitles. He gave out such a GRAND performance how else could someone even love Zaizen’s ruthless arrogance if it wasn’t for Toshiaki’s realistic admirable performance, which does leave you vulnerable and can’t help but root for him. I will never forget Zaizen’a humming song and the way he moves his hands picturing the surgery in his head making his hands dance along as he operates inside his mind, something very profound that I’ve never seen before.

Eguchi Yosuke as Satomi Shuji has no ambition and no greed as a doctor, and therefore has little relationship with his career. He is a person who only cares about patients without being interested in becoming a professor. I read that there was some criticism thrown at Satomi’s character that he was a non-flexible idealist, and someone like him does not exist in the world, but I personally think that such a person might exist in the world. He is a person who can carry out his thoughts without leaving them to be compromised by external pressure. In other words he is the 'hope' that you may think it does not exist but at least it should not be forgotten. Not many people will understand Satomi, but you cannot help but appreciate him. I really liked Eguchi Yosuke’s portrayal of Satomi, it is quite impossible to separate the actor from the character now.

Ishizaka Koji as Azuma Teizo a person who cannot abandon his status as a member of a doctor 's family and is caught up in authority rituals. He is ahead of his retirement, and he gets caught up in jealousy and inferiority towards Zaizen Goro. Ishizaka Koji’s performance was solid I could feel Azuma’s anxiously and fear so easily due to his spectacular performance.

Hitomi Kuroki as Keiko Hanamori her relationship with Zaizen Goro is noteworthy, it can’t be seen as a simple affair. Keiko dropped out of medical school and ran luxury bar. She is the only one Zaizen opens up to and she is kind of supportive alley to him in this battlefield. The bar she operates is ran by the people in the hospital, so sometimes it comes in handy for Zaizen Goro. I love her witty brutal honest responses and discussions with Zaizan. I loved loved LOVED Hitomi Kuroki’s Keiko her facial expressions, her voice and her laughs everything was just so delicious and witty and fun to watch!! She was such a wonderful spark to the show.

I personally loved the relationship between Zaizen Goro and Satomi and all their electrifying and unforgettable scenes filled with conflicted dialogues, which were, breathtaking and deliciously witty. They are friends since college but they are very different. Their relationship is founded on acknowledging and respecting each other while establishing an angle of confrontation. It is interesting to have a relationship between two people who have different values but seek the same goal, which is saving patients and changing the system. In some ways, Zaizen tries to make changes from above, and Satomi tries to make a change from the bottom up. In the end, both of them wanted the development of the hospital and the development of medical care. However, their methods were different.

Overall
The drama was thought to be serious and heavy, but to my surprise it was lighter than expected. It was a heavy and difficult topic to deal with, but the drama did not lose itself in the midst of the heavy content. As I was watching this drama my thoughts were shivering and possibly this is the most time they were provoked. It is really a thought-provoking drama that will hold on to you and never leaves you until you are done watching the whole thing. I could not take my eyes of the drama. Something is meaningful and profound from the title of white tower. A tower that is built to earn honor in a society through a university hospital but instead was destroyed and ruined by the absence of ethics and conscious. One of the best dramas, which will always remain memorable to me, definitely worth every praise and award. I could not possibly explain with mere words how much the ending touched me so deeply, I will only say that it’s rightfully one of the poetic thought stimulating ending I have ever seen and has managed to make me shed some tears. I don’t know if I will ever be able to let down my guard and watch the K version.

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Completed
Perfect Match
20 people found this review helpful
Feb 11, 2025
36 of 36 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 9.5

The multiple story lines are a clever approach

This drama was very enjoyable. The acting of the entire cast, I think, was brilliant. This is a must watch.

What I found particularly clever is that there were multiple story lines even though the entire theme was around the Li family. I have read that some people were disappointed that their favorite male actors did not have a large amount of screen time through the entire drama. I wasn't disappointed, moreover it made sense given the story lines. Bravo!!
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Completed
Hello, the Sharpshooter
20 people found this review helpful
Apr 2, 2022
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
This review may contain spoilers
Well when I found about this pairing i really happy & quite surprise, never expected to watch Xing Fei & Hu Yi Tian in 1 drama together....

I've never laugh so much when I watch Hu Yi Tian drama, because u know with his still face usually he get rather serious drama with no much funny scene that can make me laugh. But here, as Shen Qing Yuan, he is just so naive, flirtatious & have acute level of love sick.... Hahaha.... Let's elaborate more...

What I like:
+ No love rival. I really glad when they decided to make Shi Xiao Ci (XC) only as friend in the club, not another Girl that fall for the idol in the club.
+ They show us the dirty part of spormanship in the sport world. Yeah not all human is pure & can compete with pure heart. Here we can see the athlete still human & sometimes they did dirty stuff to make sure themselves is getting the spot in the competition and even also mean they do anything to make secure the winning spot for themselves.
+ They once more emphasize the importance of mental health in someone heart. Like in here Shen Qing Yuan (QY), Tang Xin (TX) & Chen Hai.
+ Really like the performance of Hu Yi Tian here. QY is a naive young boy at first, he listen to all his friend suggestion about love & relationship & then he like any other man, he quite flirtatious when he tease TX after they're in relationship, he is also one of the winner of jealousy king, yet he is still so kind when he's treating TX....
+ Everyone keep making the other party better. Like XC & Du Ling Feng or how QY making his teammate better overcome in the sport.
+ They show us one of marriage problem, like Dr. Ding Fang & Zhou Zu Guang, & I really like the way Zhou Zu Guang make in the end, yeah sometimes we have to step back so we can go forward.
+ Not too much skinship. Even though QY quite clingy but the skinship not as much as other drama. Sometimes Xing Fei drama a little bit too much skinship...

What I don't too like:
- Yeah the duration is a little bit too long. 40 ep for this kind of story is a little bit much. They kinda stretch it until almost we reach our boring button.
- Once again, why they have to choose 20s almost reach 30s actor & actress to play university student. Although I really like they performance sometimes quite wonder can't they choose actor/ess more appropriate for their age....
- the return memory of QY feel like anticlimactic for me. It just like it happen already...

if you are the fans of Hu Yi Tian this drama you should watch... I really like how he is getting better at choosing the drama where he can act not only one particular role. Overall I really like this drama, this drama make me laugh until my stomach hurt, but I don't think I will re-watch this...

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Completed
King Is Not Easy
20 people found this review helpful
Oct 8, 2017
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
This review may contain spoilers
What’s that drama?
This Chinese drama about soul-swapping was a hit romantic-comedy, but it also featured the worst plot twist of  2017.
da da da, da da da da da, da da da da DA, dadadadada…
What is “King Is Not Easy.” CORRECT!

Jeopardy question aside, I’ll break down this review into cast and plot, with a few comments on production, music, and re-watch value at the end.

Cast: Being a soul-swapping drama means that Bai Lu and Zhang Yi Jie had to be good at playing each other’s characters and their opposite genders, and in my opinion they were. They were hilarious, and the majority of their acting seemed very genuine *applause*.  All the characters, including our leads, did well. The plot is very silly, and the cast did a good job not taking their characters too seriously.

Plot: As the plot is bipolar, so must my review be. To avoid spoilers I will simply refer to the two plot arcs as “Arc A” and “Arc B.” Arc A was everything you expected it to be; the story was funny, sweet, and entertaining. It’s 20 minutes of guaranteed lighthearted fun—Arc B not so much. Arc B was highly confusing and disappointing. Presumably the arc was meant to add depth to the show, but is was not needed and very poorly done.

Production-The dubbing (the ADR) was very irritating at first, but I got used to it.
Music-Theme song was annoying, but the ending theme was pretty. The rest of the music was unmemorable.
Re-watch value-It is such a short show that I would re-watch it, but I would stop before I got to Arc B.

Overall, I enjoyed this show, it fulfilled its purpose by making me smile and laugh a lot. 7.5 stars.
P.S. At the end of each episode are short skits. Don't miss out—watch them!

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Completed
Honey, Don't Run Away
20 people found this review helpful
Apr 26, 2020
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 7.0
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 6.5
Rewatch Value 6.0

Misleading title: should be CSI in ancient china

This drama started out as a rom-com but ended up being more of a procedural drama. As a procedural drama, think CSI set in ancient China, it had great pacing and interesting subplots that connect to the bigger plot.

What I didn’t like was that the title of the drama and the promos are misleading as I was expecting to see more of the romance between the leads than the crime solving part. Here’s the breakdown of the drama:

90% solving crime/main plot
5% trying to save lead girl
5% romance.

The 2nd lead prince had more romantic scenes than the main lead but you are still lead to believe that the girl likes the male lead.

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Completed
The Way Home
20 people found this review helpful
by _Rosie
Mar 17, 2012
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This is a story about a a single working mother who takes her young son to live with his grandmother out in the sticks, so that she can continue to work in the city. What follows is the culture clash for this spoilt little city kid having to adjust to rural life.

What makes it special is the grandmother who is mute I understand that this woman was not an actress & was chosen specifically to play this role. All I can say is she did an amazing job.

The bulk of the film is set in the rural community showing the ups and downs between the Grandmother & Grandson, slowly he comes to realise how much she cares for him & he also starts to care for her. Its a slow paced, gentle and poignant film that will leave you with a lump in your throat. I really enjoyed it & recommend it to everyone.

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Completed
Mysterious Love
20 people found this review helpful
by Faimac
Jun 30, 2021
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 9.5

Explosive ... Hot ...

Holy Smoke this series was really awesome!!

The ML was super HOT OMG, the scenes he played gosh needed to keep the fan going (LOL)!!!! he is so damn hot and interesting - kind of a cold and arrogant one that he has possessive towards the FL, he had the whole domineering assertiveness right down to the tee. both lead characters were so smart and the FL is not the typical naïve dumb dependent The FL had there fair share of misunderstandings but it gets cleared up real fast. ML is particularly good with his jealous looks. This drama made me a fan out of Tsao Yu Ning (Where have you been all this time?).

Story line was really good, left you wanting more and a bit suspenseful trying to figure who the real boss was.

the music could have been a bit better, but its not all that bad.

and also the length of this series was perfect, it not drag on, and everything flowed through and came together really nicely!!

if anything just watching this series for the shirtless ML was definitely worth it!!

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Completed
Cinderella Chef
20 people found this review helpful
Jun 27, 2018
56 of 56 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers
This drama is a very good drama, I loved how the main heroine went back in time to make a name for herself. Sense, back in her time nobody was interesting in her cooking. Besides, the romance she was able to accomplish her cooking skill and be next to her man that she fell in love with. The things that I didn't like was that the story did drag in the middle because of some of the unnecessary fighting or misunderstandings which of course I skipped. But the story was good in the end and they both got their happy ending.

I would definitely recommend watching, if you have time sense it is a long drama.

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