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The Greatest Love
133 people found this review helpful
Jun 18, 2011
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
There are a few kdramas out there that reach a level in quality far above others for smart writing, snappy dialog, rich plot and character development. Add the spice of comedy and the satisfying element of a very well told dramatic story and The Greatest Love is in this top tier. It is a Great story.

Cha Seung Won and Gong Hyo Jin: They are both amazing actors. They are perfectly cast and it shows through every goofy moment and every scene that pulls at your heart.

This story is set in the entertainment world and probably sheds a glaring spotlight on the trappings and "traps" of fame. Each character is fame's satelite planet spinning in orbit around it's shiny tempting sun.

Dokko Jin is a man with a lot of hits under his belt. His image is stellar and it wins him the best CF's and shields him from getting laid low when a movie release isn't quite up to par. He can play the press like a finely tuned piano. He understands his world and he's comfortable there...on top. Everything is image...even love. Gu Ae Jung is a woman who had a taste of fleeting fame in her young 20's and knows exactly what it feels like when you are knocked from that pedestal. She has learned how to work her bad reputation to make a living. She knows what to do, how to act and dress and she's comfortable at the bottom so long as she can keep working. When they meet it throws their perspective worlds into chaos. It is a chaos neither of them are ready for.

Dokko Jin doesn't know what to do with the feelings he has outside of and in spite of, the image he has cultivated. He has lived so long in his fame bubble he is emotionally stunted. What he has come to expect is completely different than what the real world will hand him. We get to watch him open his eyes, watch his dumbfounded, drunken baby steps toward the light. ...And it's funny! It's clumsy and awkward. It's so completely tender and heart wrenching as well.

Gu Ae Jung doesn't know how to handle this mess of a man; who invades her life, pulls her into his bubble and goes after her with all the grace and finesse of a bull in a china shop. She has lived so long understanding that one word taken out of context can flay her and one mistaken step can shove her down to the bottom and cause pain. She knows she has to be careful in this world that drags her into a light which seems warm and friendly at first only to burn her when she dares to step to close. She knows better.

...and yet when the heart starts beating of its own accord and the petals strewn across the path lead to someone you can't stop loving, you have to be brave and make choices.

Gu Ae Jung is our everywoman in this story. She is the one we identify with and root for. She is the reluctant hero. Dokko Jin is our damsel in distress. The charm of this show is that it is so well written and entertaining you don't realize at first and when you do, you realize its genius!

The second leads and side characters are written smartly as well. They aren't just comic relief or one dimensional characters built as foils for the OTP. They have good reasons to be in our main character's lives. Best friends, brothers, agents and managers etc... They serve the narrative of the story rather than break us apart from it as if we need some sort of forced breather from the action or story filler. Smart Hong Sisters!

Yoon Pil Joo: Best second lead ever! I fell in love with him falling in love. Yoon Kye Sang is amazing. Time to go find every other thing he's ever acted in and watch it.

I found this show sublime. 'Crack me up' hilarious and 'Wrench my heart, why don't you?' emotional. Don't miss it. It is extraordinary.

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Completed
A Korean Odyssey
133 people found this review helpful
by Rikku
Mar 4, 2018
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 8.0
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 4.5
I think it's fair to say that this drama was good overall: the story is intriguing, well written for the first 10 episodes and it made me curious.
If I can say something bad about it, I'd have gone for a shorter version. 20 episodes are too many, since part of the story (expecially from episode 14) was just fillers.
I'd rather watch 10 very good episodes than 20 just for the sake of carrying it on.
The ending it's not that bad, but it's way too predictable: if you're not into open endings, just forget about this drama.
Onto the good stuff:
- Lee Seung Gi is just gold in this series, I cannot think of anybody else for the role of Son Oh Gong. Same goes for Cha Seung Won (Ma Wang) and Sung Hyuk (General Frost).
- Soundtrack is Bomb: "Let me out" is a hit, was stucked in my head for weeks, as well as "If You Were Me" and "When I Saw You".
- I loved the fact that supernatural elements, history and human nature are intertwined in the love story: it makes it really special.
- I don't particularly like Oh Yeon Seo, but i loved the first 5 episodes because of the tension between the two leads.
- Lee El (Secretary Ma) is one of the most underrated character, imho, but I loved her a lot.


I don't think I'd rewatch this, cause it's too painful now (i didn't enjoy the ending) and also because of the dragged out part (13-17), but It was definitely worth my time.

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Completed
Oh My Ghost
150 people found this review helpful
Aug 23, 2015
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 3
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.5
Wow.. just wow! I really loved this drama!
I wasn't too sure about the story in the beginning, and I'll admit that throughout this drama there were moments were I thought it would go south. However, after I finished it, I realized I couldn't have been more wrong. The writers pulled off the storyline wonderfully. Even when the plot seemed a bit too complicated to execute well, the writers did a great job at it!
Now, I just want to talk a little about the acting in this drama. Honestly, this is one of the most well acted dramas I've seen so far. Park Bo Young and Jo Jung Suk have AMAZING chemistry. I would find myself playing certain scenes over and over again, just because these two are so great together! The way their relationship grows from beginning to end is so sweet. I also want to say that these two share the most real and believable kisses I've ever seen in a drama. Seriously! Whenever they were on screen, I would always look forward to how they would interact with each other. Part of that is because this drama has really down to earth acting. You can tell that all the actors have fun with their roles (especially the kitchen crew), and they bring that excitement to the screen. Not only are the interactions between Na Bong and Chef very real and believable, but the interactions between all the other characters as well. I loved watching the kitchen crew going through their day, bickering and cracking jokes at one another. Their acting was so real that I would forget what they were saying was actually scripted. It was fun watching them, especially during the moments where you could tell they were about to break out of character and burst out laughing! I especially loved Sous Chef (Kang Ki Young). Some people might find him a little annoying, but honestly he made me laugh numerous times throughout the drama!
Im Joo Hwan is also amazing in this drama. His portrayal of Officer Choi was spot on, and I was really moved by his character towards the end. The same goes for Kim Seul Gi (Soon Ae). There were times where I was a little confused and annoyed about where her character was going plot wise, but toward the end I'd come to understand and appreciate what she did for the story.
This drama does have some minor flaws, like pacing issues in the last few episodes and sort of a rushed ending. Despite all that, this drama is still a perfect 10/10 for me. I don't normally do reviews, so the fact that I came here to write this immediately after I finished it is saying something. If you're looking for a great romance/comedy/mystery drama with amazing acting and lovable characters, then give Oh My Ghost a chance!

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Completed
Love Scenery
124 people found this review helpful
by Ye Xiu
May 1, 2021
31 of 31 episodes seen
Completed 5
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Warm and Simple

As I grew older Its weird but I tend to like simple stories. The warmth and simplicity of the love story tends to affect me compared to those cliche plots with third party etc. i give this 10 because I always based my rating to chemistry no matter how good a story if the leads are not compatible its useless.

And Based on previous Lin Yi dramas he is best suitable for modern romcom dramas than historical or he might be suitable for drmas like Wuxi a (eternal love cinematography ) .

I like dramas with not that much third party issues .

Simple and Warm drama

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Completed
Mysterious Love
90 people found this review helpful
Jun 13, 2021
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.5

THIS IS SO UNDERRATED

❤️ok❤️ so from what I see not many ppl watch this drama and the ratings are not great... besides dramatist, on douban, it has less than 10000 ratings (which is quite little for there), and it only has like 6.3 rating. I mean its not horrible but I dont understand cuz I think its not worse than those 7+ or8+ dramas.

lmao ok so my point is at first I was not gonna watch it like there are no reviews of it and it has bad view count and bad ratings, but one day I was bored and saw a mv of it...it was H O T. im not like horny or anything but I was bored so I thought id check it out for fun.

HOWEVER, from like 5 minutes in, I was captivated, and I never skipped a second of it. ig that is to be expected from a 16 episode 30 min each drama, but that doesn't mean much I can sit through much more and be happy with a drama. (shoutout: STORY OF MINGLAN IS AMAZING)

either way, it was at a very good pacing; I didn't feel as if scenes were cut or stretched.
even though im not a big fan of these fighting and violence modern dramas, I really liked this one. The dangerous background stories they shared together had me crying all night, and I felt as if I was there friends cuz I was praying as I watched for a happy ending.

as for the characters, BOTH ARE BADASS AND I LOVE IT. ml is so smart and fl is not the typical naive dumb dependent fl. they have misunderstandings but it gets cleared up real fast. even if it didn't, it is actually understandable for me so its not exactly annoying. but DONT WORRY ABT THAT cuz they are well most of the time.

im also particularly in love with second lead couple. tbh the 2nd fl was harassing 2nd ml in the beginning and I won't deny that. it was kinda wrong, but hey im a part of the audience. their ending scenes had me crying of happiness and sadness and everything and I knew was that they loved each other.

also xing Xing (their late "master"'s child under the care of 2nd couple) was adorable. I found her annoying at first but she's a child and later she was so mature and caring and understanding and adorable and yeah

music was okay, ive heard better but the story made up for it.

acting was great too. alike, ive seen better but it was more than enough to make the drama amazing. ps. ❗️kissing scenes were superior no dead fish

❗️ALL IN ALL❗️(im back in elementary lmao), it was a thrilling, quick ride for me and I loved it. some characters had their fault but i come to feel for them very soon. In the end, I love everyone (not the villains though I dont hate them either) ((they were pitiful and for some reason, I never found them particularly annoying)) (((they didn't last long anyways))) WOAH WHAT IS WITH ALL THOSE PARRENTHATHESIS apparently I cant spell either. ;-;

well this was definitely not a waste of time and I think it should be rated better and have a bigger audience. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

u prob cant read anything I wrote but ITS AMAZING, and I added emojis 😎 cuz I think what I wrote is like PeRiOd and needed to be emphasized

sorry im werid, byebye

edit: I FORGOT : ❤️HAPPY ENDING❤️ GUYS SO DONT WORRY again I had to emphasize

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Completed
Jun Jiu Ling
90 people found this review helpful
Oct 11, 2021
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 11
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

How To Get 4 Men to Fall in Love with You at the Same Time

To enjoy watching this drama, viewers are advised to watch it with a sense of humor, and not with your normal logic, for this drama that seems dead serious (no “comedy” tag), may seem to have loaded with bizarre and unfathomable logic. Many actions and scenes are over exaggerated with overacting which are also embellished with playful music. The pace is rather fast with many events taking place in each scene, only temporarily slowing down for the romance. If viewers can endure the first couple of the episodes which may seem farfetched, the later part is rather addictive. Therefore, sit back and let the story take you away, and enjoy.

This drama is said to have adapted from a web novel of the same name. However, according to some readers, the main female character has been drastically changed “to make her seem more relatable for audience consumption”. In the novel, her personality is said to be, to quote a reader, “the most endearing element of the storyline. She's casual in demeanor but absolutely savage in her plotting. They did such a disservice to the female lead.” Even with the altered toned down version, I still love the female lead character as I find her strong, determined, intelligent and devoted.

Princess Jiuling (Peng Xiaoran) is an inspiring character. Despite the horrendous change of her life including the loss of her family, her identity and her look, she is determined to stay low, strengthen her power, and make a comeback for revenge. Her patience and her endurance to injustices, at the same time, honing her skills and waiting for the right moment, are qualities that are commendable. She exudes confidence and composure even in the most trying conditions, and her dignified demeanor captures all hearts.

Peng Xiaoran who plays the Princess Jiuling role, is an amazing actor. I got to know her in Goodbye My Princess when she was relatively unknown and was chosen to play that role because of a clash in schedule for the original actor who was a lot more popular. I was so glad they made the switch then as it brought us another talented actor who would have been buried if not for the opportunity. Here, as in Goodbye My Princess, Peng Xiaoran is so natural, graceful and authentic, successfully bringing her character to live.

Despite Jiuling is surrounded by numerous men who are deeply in love with her, she has only one true love, Zhu Zan (Jin Han) whom she had spent a great deal of time with when they were growing up. Zhu Zan is now a general guarding the frontier with his father since their separation. Free spirited and unrestrained, Zhu Zan is humorous and chivalrous. He continues to care for orphans, finding shelter and providing food for the displaced people due to wars and disasters. It is these qualities that Jiuling falls in love with him again as they align with her own values. Zhu Zan is infatuated with Jiuling, and regardless of how the world sees him and what trouble he may get into, he goes all the way out for Jiuling and helps her overcome her obstacles.

Jin Han’s portrayal of Zhu Zan is adorable, making the character very lovable like a big cuddly teddy bear. Unfortunately, many viewers criticize the choice and complain that Jin Han is not good looking enough. Perhaps these viewers hope to see a more effeminate actor as this seem to be the trend in today’s historical dramas, and Jin Han’s physical appearance is the total opposite to that. Some viewers also complain that they cannot place Jin Han’s face as a protagonist as the actor has previously played some antagonistic roles in other dramas. Whatever the criticisms are, I feel we all need to give these young actors opportunities to prove themselves, and Jin Han has proved that he is a versatile actor.

My Verdict

Sure there are flaws everywhere like in most Chinese dramas. But if we look pass these flaws and be less critical, this is a rather decent drama. A lot of the story only happens in conversations instead of in scenes, hence non-native speakers may want to get proper English subs to ensure accurate conveyance of the messages. The development of the main characters is quite well done with very well acting by the whole cast including the supporting cast. The storyline may be serious but this is a very humorous drama.

Overall, this is a drama deserved to be watched. I have enjoyed it very much.

Recommended! Bravo!



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Completed
I've Fallen for You
73 people found this review helpful
Mar 1, 2020
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Sweet, Fun, Rom-Com

This is a low budget web drama that hardly has any promotion and goes under many viewers' radar. It is a non-serious romantic comedy, and initially, I thought I wouldn't like it. Somehow, though an easy-to-follow story, there are some twists and turns, mysteries and crimes, and a big overall conspiracy that really got me hooked on.

The acting is more like a high school drama - playful and silly. The names of the characters are hilarious to say the least. The Chinese characters used in Zhao Cuo's name have the homophone with the meaning "wrong anyway", whereas his father's name Zhao Juan Dui literally means, "All correct". The play of words in the dialogues with the names is simply hilarious.

Despite being a very light-hearted cute drama, there are some really wonderful moments, especially between the main leads and the dynamics between Zhao Cuo and his parents. With all the bickering and playfulness, Tian San Qi and Zhao Cuo have good chemistry together. I also love the side couple Bai Yi Fei and He Ruo Yao. Though very good looking, Bai Yi Fei is like a piece of wood and is very cute and funny, and He Ruo Yao has a wonderful female personality that I love.

I love the songs sung during the moments when one thinks or longs for the other. The melodies are contemporary love ballads which are very beautiful. Of all the songs, I fall in love with a nursery rhyme that is repeatedly sung by Tian San Qi and Zhao Cuo for each other; it is one of the most adorable nursery rhymes I've ever loved.

My verdict: If you don't have any other dramas to watch, or waiting in between dramas, "I've Fallen For You" is a pleasant one to watch given its light-heartedness and a short series.

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Completed
Better Days
73 people found this review helpful
by Hwayii
Feb 16, 2021
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
From the very beginning I was very interested in the movie. There should be more such films, at least for me, because the atmosphere is great, hence my high opinion. The film touched me, and at the same time showed the sad story of the abuse of young people. The only thing that could have been different is that at the end the story of Bei and Chen Nian could have been ended differently, because the film from the beginning and the end was a disgrace to the characters.This was the best movie I ever watch!
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Completed
The Autumn Ballad
73 people found this review helpful
Mar 12, 2022
34 of 34 episodes seen
Completed 37
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.5

Fresh twists on old cliches.

At first glance, Autumn Ballad looks like just another light historical romance featuring a strong, independent heroine with 21st-century attitudes and aspirations. Yet with a chock full of fresh twists on old cliches, this manages to surprise and delight with an all too familiar tale of a lowly illegitimate daughter who finds love most unexpectedly on her quest for self-determination. This well-told story with an authentic voice is carried by Xu Zhengxi and Qiao Xin's heartfelt performances which make me invested in their characters before I even like them.

What I like most about Qiu Yan is that she is really not that nice or always that smart. Phew, what a welcome relief from the all too common suffocatingly flawless heroines. This is where notably Yu Zheng's recent, much higher budget projects fall way short by comparison despite big-name actresses. Trapped and exploited by her low birth status, Qiu Yan is the anti-Cinderella - her stepmother is her fairy godmother; she gives as good as she gets to her step-sisters and her mysterious prince leaves her a fan at the stroke of midnight. She tries for the best hand from the cards she is dealt and if she has to use a few people or step on toes along the way, so be it. She can be as harsh, selfish, and unforgiving as she is brave, capable, and loyal. She schemes, miscalculates, and makes mistakes with real consequences for herself and for others. I don't always like or agree with her but can understand her desperation and humanity.

Liang Yi is a pretty gray character which makes him my kind of male lead. Beneath his icy, civilized veneer he is a calculating, manipulative, ends-justify-the-means kind of guy with an agenda and he plays a long game. His path crosses with Qiu Yan repeatedly over the course of his investigations as head of the powerful Firewood Bureau. From the get-go, Liang Yi sees through Qiu Yan's machinations with contempt and tries to frustrate her designs on Qin Xuan. But he stops short of throwing her under the bus, perhaps in silent acknowledgment of his own utilitarian nature. When their interest align they agree to collaborate and are unflinchingly honest with each other about what's in it for them. In doing so, they also reveal the better sides of their nature and as they grow on each other, I fall for them. Qiu Yan is no damsel in distress in need of rescuing and Liang Yi can be as much cad as a knight in shining armor. They are kindred spirits and when they join forces, the sum of the parts is greater than the whole. It is inevitable that conflict and antagonism spark mutual awareness and passion. Their repartee is witty and the dialogue humorously highlights universal truths about human nature and the role of women in society. Is it too contemporary to be realistic? Probably but who cares?

This drama ought to be the gold standard for how realistic, believable relationships should be developed and portrayed. Xu Zhengxi really captures the essence of how Liang Yi's feelings for Qiu Yan evolve from dislike and distrust to grudging respect and consternation when it dawns upon him that he added to her burdens. His ironic, disbelieving expression as he comes to terms with his feelings for her kills me every time. This is by far the best-acted, anchor performance in the drama, elevated by the OTP's undeniable screen chemistry. While Qiao Xin stages a convincing, empathetic complimentary act, she falls short in her crying scenes.

The supporting characters are also mostly well-written and I particularly appreciate the balanced point of view with respect to the sibling rivalry between Qiu Min and Qiu Yan. Both Qiu Min and Qin Xuan are less thoughtfully written but despite their character flaws, they both get a pretty raw deal. The writers seem to know how to design layered and interesting characters but don't know how to finish their stories. Too many characters get outcomes (good and bad) that are underserved. There are so many gratuitous deaths I wonder whether they were running out of money.

Though far from a masterpiece of suspense and intrigue, the overarching conspiracy that loosely connects the cases moves at a fast pace and is quite well conceived and not just contrived to allow the couple to discover each other. It is a story that has enough momentum and characters with agency that the ending should write itself. Instead, with about 6 episodes to go, the writing inexplicably deviates into flashbacks, forced angst, melodrama, and excessive plot twists that culminate in a just barely satisfactory ending. If not for the sag towards the end, I would rate this production that shines in spite of its modest budget better than a very enjoyable 8/10.

This is not a fairytale but that is what makes it so much fun. It is well worth watching for the fascinating and hilarious relationship dynamics alone.

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Completed
The Devil's Plan
73 people found this review helpful
Oct 10, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

The winner REALLY deserved it all.

I loooove every bits of this show. The games, the participants, the drama...

The games was good overall. It's actually a simple games, most of it from board games I'm pretty sure we all played it before like Monopoly, Tic Tac Toe, Scrabble, Tangram, Gomoku, etc... but with upgraded rules that sometimes very difficult to understand and made my head dizzy when I try to follow 🤣 Well, sometimes it's indeed very stressful (I recalled myself crying out loud when Dongjae eliminated because of the nasty betrayal), but it's also fun, thrilling, and exciting.

But most of all, I'm very, VERY happy with the way this survival ends.

Ha Seokjin deserved it all. He's the most calm & collected since episode 1, a great strategist, and his tenacity just... wow. I knew him since Problematic Men era, I knew he's a great opponent everyone should watch for; but I didn't expect he'll be THAT GOOD. Every single episode he played every game skillfully, with everything he's got. It's truly mindblowing to watch (yes, I'm referring to his grande plan in episode 9 OMG how can he calculated all that???)

And I believe he's the only one who understood the rules of this survival game perfectly. I really like his statement (angry statement, if I may add) after Dongjae eliminated, "I want to see a skill-based elimination."

Indeed, because up to that episode, all I see was Orbit trying to save everyone—even the one who did not deserve to be saved. Alliances is needed, yes, but I don't think that was what Orbit did; he acted like a peacemaker but actually he's more like a dictator, giving instructions to everyone who followed him.

Not hating on him though, I'm trying to understand the way he think but obviously... trying to save everyone while you're in a survival show is kinda nonsense. The one with mind games and all, to be exact. It's a good act, but it's not for this show. Well, if that was actually his strategy to make all those people followed him and using them as a jumping stone to be in the finale... wow, he's good y'all 😂

This was the great drama to add, and because of that I fall more deeper to Ha Seokjin's charm. I'm rooting for him since episode 1 and very happy when he wins. All in all, watching this show was like my personal journey as Ha Seokjin fans; I'm happy to realize he's that smart, kind, and humble as a person, and I'm just happy so many people find out about him as an actor (well, and youtuber) through this show. Hopefully he gain some fans (I really want to gatekeeping him though HAHA) and be more successful in the future. Respect to all participants, I really enjoyed their friendship, and their betrayal 🤣🤣 Also, kudos to the great crew behind this show!

Season 2, please?

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Completed
She and Her Perfect Husband
149 people found this review helpful
Dec 13, 2022
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 6
Overall 8.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 7.0
This review may contain spoilers
I really thought people were exaggerating, but unfortunately they screwed up everything on final episodes. The only thing that was outstanding in this drama was the mature and understanding relationship between the main leads. They always solved everything through talking to each other but in the last 4 episodes the writers just thought were a good idea changing this amazing couple dynamic. It made no sense that Yang Hua, who always were straightforward about his feelings, simply not being able to answer QS twice when she asks who he would choose between her and Yao Yao.
Then, instead of talking about the problem, YH just came with the stupid jealousy game to make QS come around with her feelings, he even let her thinking he was that boy's father. That was so out of character and the last no sense was that reunion. YH wanted her to admit and tell that she love him but in the end they get together and she still never confesses her feelings. That separation seemed so meaningless. I feel the writing was just messy, a lot was obviously cut and the end was completely unsatisfying. It's a shame because even though I skipped a lot, until episode 34 the drama was good and the main leads romance was one of the best I ever saw. Yang Hua is simply a perfect man, so precious, I will just keep this in my memories and forget that stupid end.

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Completed
I Just Want to See You
56 people found this review helpful
Jun 27, 2022
4 of 4 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Go for it. You will fall in love.

I fell in love. Every short japanese series is always a masterpiece. This one hits different. I don't know why this felt nostalgic to me although i never had a friend, crush or a lover. This is surely going in my top 5. I wish they would do another one together. I loved the summer theme.😊💜💜💜💜 . I loved the music. The cast was perfect . I really wish more series like this can be made. This is something i will remember forever. I know this may not be the cup of tea for all but for me its something that gave me happiness.
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Completed
Love of My Life
56 people found this review helpful
Apr 26, 2011
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0
This is a very simple, almost mundane love story between a rich, spoiled girl and a poor but principled boy. Nothing new under the sun.
And yet, it's a little story not easily forgotten, one I fell in love with at first sight and rewatched with equal pleasure. To me, Nao and Hiroto are an assumption, one of those couples I have stored away like a cameo.

The progression of their love story is narrated with sweet candour, acted beautifully and without needless exaggerations. It's the first role I saw Kamenashi Kazuya working in and even though in the meantime he's matured, I still consider this to be his best interpretation. Ayase Haruka is so believable in her whimsical pouting one can't help becoming extremely fond of her too.
And although the plot may seem ordinary, the small details of their interaction, the friendship, Hiroto's narration in first person, their young enthusiasm and depth of emotions are memorable.

The music by Ike Yoshihiro is wonderful. Possibly the best drama original soundtrack ever.

I recommend this dorama to those who still remember their first love and will relate to it, and to those who have forgotten it, as a mean to recall its bitter-sweet flavour.
I have watched this drama... 4 times: no need to explain why I gave it a high re-watch mark.

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Completed
Duang with You
208 people found this review helpful
by Femmie Finger Heart Award1
Feb 28, 2026
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 10
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

WHY IS THIS SHOW SO CUTE I CAN’T BREATHE!!!

Duang With You is literally my emotional support chaos. It’s so stupidly CUTE and unhinged in the best way that I’ll be sitting there giggling like an idiot one second and hiding my face in a blanket the next because WHY are they like this. The embarrassing moments hit so hard I physically curl up, but somehow that just makes it even funnier and even sweeter. It’s the kind of show that grabs your bad mood, shakes it around, and yeets it out the window.

If you’re ever feeling low, bored, or just need something that feels like a sugar rush to the brain, watch it. It’s silly, it’s soft, it’s chaotic, and it absolutely works as a mood‑reset button. I SOOO recommend you to watch this!!!!! IT'S SOOOO GOOD!!! EEEKK!!

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Completed
Radiant Office
39 people found this review helpful
by Wednes
May 5, 2017
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
Radiant Office is very subtle, in all the best ways possible. Because of its subtlety, it takes time and attention to appreciate this drama – but all the time you spend will be the most rewarding time of your first half of this year, I swear.

To me, Radiant Office belongs to the slice-of-life and romance genre. After all, it was made to be an office romance kind of show. Comedy is almost non-existent here, although that does not mean that this show is dark. It is fun, but if you're here expecting slapstick humor kind of fun, you're in the wrong place.

On the outer level, Radiant Office is a bunch of Korean drama clichés packed together. There's a boss-employee relationship, office settings, fatal disease, and some chaebol family problems. However, on the inside, Radiant Office has a very warm and cozy tone – the complete opposite of those dramas that have the same cliché background.

This is built mainly on their warm and cozy characters. I know that the poster and the synopsis can make our lead female character look very extreme, but she's not, as well as the rest of the crew. They're rather very relatable human-beings. They go through problems (that can sometimes be too dramatic, but again, I can totally overlook that for the fact that this is a drama), but the way they tackle these problems and overcome these situations are so human-like.

You will definitely learn a thing or two at every twist and turn here. When you feel like you can relate to their problems, you'll surprisingly feel comforted by their words and actions. I also love how there's no true "evil" in this story. Whenever someone does something bad, the show progresses in the way you can finally understand that supposed "bad" intention and come to accept that flaw. There are times when good characters make bad decisions as well. This show never tries to perfect or sugar-coat things to make the ordinary viewers like me feel ugly or uncomfortable.

The characters here are all built on the same ground. There's no "rich and powerful" and "ugly duckling" kind of combination. Even if there is a rich and powerful person, they all still have good qualities *as much as* their bad ones. The part that makes this fun to watch is that most of their qualities don't overlap each other. Throughout the show, the best quality of one person will fulfill the bad part of another and so on. It makes everyone complete. This is very heartwarming to see. Trust me, you will fall in love even with the small roles that show up only once every 3-4 episodes (like the secretary or the convenience store worker or our main lead's younger brother). The characters in this show are really that lovely.

THE ROMANCE:

Like I said, subtleness is the key here. I swear I enjoyed the tiny reactions between our two main leads so much and found myself blushing at their chemistry way more than when main leads of other dramas hate each other too much before falling in love with each other. The satisfaction when he slightly takes care of her or acknowledges her talents is real. And, no matter how strong her character is, she's still the little girl who likes to be taken care of in front of him. Their love slowly grows on you.

THE CAST:

I started watching this show without ANY expectation because of the cast. I haven't seen some of these actors, but for the ones I've seen, I can say that this is their best drama so far. I've got nothing much to say. They're very well-suited for their roles.

THE MUSIC:

Honestly, they didn't use their OSTs in the way that they receive enough recognition although there are quite some quality ballads. However, I don't remember feeling awkward with the background music while watching. I can only give it a 7/10.

REWATCH VALUE:

I personally rarely rewatch shows. For people who do, I can picture you rewatch it for the life lessons and cozy love story. However, it's less likely to be rewatched and still enjoyable because business talks can be too long in some episodes.

OVERALL:

Still, despite the so-so music, the clichés, and the low rewatch value, I still give it an 8.5/10. I don't care about the low rewatch value; a drama is never made to be watched over and over again anyway. Comparing to very upbeat and sweet romcoms, I give high score to this one for its approach in telling the story. This was never made fancy for the ratings from the start. This was made for people who like to lean back and appreciate things.

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