Reviews

A RARE GEM

I 'm a long time c-drama watcher and I've never written a review for any drama before.

But after watching this show, I KNEW THAT I HAD TO WRITE A REVIEW!!!!

STORY: 10/10
This isn’t your typical high school romance drama. Yes, the FL and ML meet and become friends which turns into something more like in all school dramas. And yes, there are other typical high school tropes/cliches. Honestly, I was fully expecting this to be just another regular high school romance. But, this drama was so much more than that. This drama is really about a bunch of high school students that due to different reasons, weren’t able to pass/take the college entrance exam to get into university. These students ended up having to sign up and join a class together to repeat a year of high school in order to prepare for the next college entrance exam.

The story was realistic and the acting was so natural. It really captured the life of a high school student and the pressures and struggles of studying well to get into a good university. But it also really showed the support that the students got from their peers, families, and teachers as well! Being a university student myself, the story and characters really resonated with me!

There was romance in this drama, but it definitely played a smaller part. However, overall it was pretty cute! :)

There were 24 episodes which was a great length! I usually skip a lot of episodes in c-dramas as they get long and draggy. BUT I DIDN’T SKIP A SINGLE MINUTE OF THIS DRAMA. I had to binge watch all the episodes until I finished it. It was truly a refreshing show.

CHARACTERS: 10/10
All the characters had great chemistry! Especially the FL and ML!

This drama also did a great job dedicating episodes to focus on various side characters. It didn’t take away the story from the main leads at all! I seriously loved every single character and their addition to the story. Mostly every important side character had a great backstory and displayed their own high school experience. Lots of important topics were showcased through these characters including mental health, bullying, family issues, different passions/dreams, etc.


PRODUCTION: 10/10
Loved the unique style of this drama. Every episode began differently with different montages, comedy scenes, etc. While the ending credits included videos of characters or real life high school students sharing their thoughts.

It felt like the director and the writers really put in the effort and thought to make this show really meaningful!


OVERALL A 10/10 AND A MUST WATCH!

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Conflicts Aren’t Great but Enjoyed Light, Positive Vibes

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I picked this drama up because I like the lead actors. Actually, I don’t like Ji Chang Wook (지창욱) in any roles other than action, but I decided to give it another shot. This seemed like it could be a cute romance, but in order for it to work, the chemistry needs to be on point.

Acting/Cast: I was pleasantly surprised by the cast. There were some actors that I was very happy to see again and some actors I’ve seen for the first time. I think everyone did great acting-wise (except for the female lead’s dad). However, like I mentioned before, the chemistry is the most important aspect here. All of the friend groups had good chemistry as well as the side romances, but I’m not sure the two leads quite got there -- at least not as more than friends. Maybe it’s because they were so overly cutesy with each other or maybe it’s because there weren’t any - even remotely - steamy scenes between them. I just wasn’t completely sold on them. Especially, after that ending with the choice that the male lead made. Careers were obviously way more important to everyone over love, which is strange for a “romance”. 7.5/10

Writing: I like the plot and the side stories. I like the characters. However, there’s some details that bothered me. The useless love triangle is one of those things. Literally, it was only there to motivate the male lead to make a move. They really built up this second male lead like he was going to be a huge threat, but no, just another poor victim of second male lead abuse. I think he was an interesting and unique character, too, so it’s such a shame. Another issue I had with this drama is the forced conflicts (apart from the love triangle). The initial conflict that sets the plot in motion is fine, but later on, things happen that make it feel unrealistic. There’s also another conflict between the male lead’s father and the female lead that just feels annoying and childish. I wanted to just skip over all of that nonsense. Then, the “plot twist” at the end with the foreigner seemed so pointless… I was like ‘Why??’ Blink and you’ll miss it. Fortunately, this drama has good side stories and likeable characters all around. 4/10

Direction/SFX/Music: The ending was so cliché that it didn’t feel consistent with the male lead’s personality. The pacing was decent despite using so-so conflicts to push the story along. The OST isn’t really my cup of tea, but I did add two of the songs to my playlist. Beautiful Day by Gemini (제미나이, 아름다운 날) is really pretty and of course the drama’s theme song: DK (도겸) (Seventeen) - Short Hair (단발머리). 6/10

Entertainment Value: It was an easy, light watch. Nothing very exciting to make me want to binge watch this drama, but also nothing so irritating that it would make me want to drop it. The second half is when I started feeling a bit of a drag (episode 9) and episode 10 or 11 is when more conflicts are forced in which began to annoy me. The ending was cliché, too. Although one of the side love stories was solidified, which was a pleasant surprise. 4/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 5.5/10. It makes me wish I had a rabid posse of male friends. It almost made me want to start taking photos...I hate taking photos.

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A gay man asks his ex of 25 years for a contract marriage to appease his dying mother. She agrees, hijinks ensue, along the way we learn the true meaning of family. It's an average plot but for the word "gay"—what is impressive here is that the gay is just one part of what makes this story special, and not its defining aspect.

In addition to family, Gisou no Fuufu explores what it means to come out (not only for the guy but also his fake wife, who has walled herself off emotionally from the world). The lighthearted tone of the show works, and works well—As expected, Amami Yuki and Sawamura Ikki are amazing as the cold, people-hating librarian and warmhearted nursery school teacher. There is plenty of comedic relief from Amami's deadpan, biting "inner voice" and Sawamura's blind over-eagerness. Uchida Yuki and Kudo Asuka also gave wonderful performances as a lesbian single mother and "ally of justice" deliveryman who helped carry the show in its more serious moments. While the story didn't show off the ugly side of some painful topics (discrimination, domestic abuse, the fear of coming out) it never ignored it, and the overall way that homosexuality was treated as something normal was refreshing.

The show starts with energy and proceeds at a brisk, tension-filled pace. It's served well by an upbeat JUJU track. The ending was disorienting, but it wasn't a sell-out, or entirely unexpected. It did make me reexamine my own preconceptions about what is truly important. All in all, the show's message seems to be: "There are many different kinds of people, with different types of love that bind them together. But you can't say that any one kind (gay, straight, romantic, platonic, familial, friendship) is worse than any other."

I am not a re-watcher, but can imagine getting nostalgic for the leads' banter. Overall, it was a fun and heartwarming ride with a strong message from a great cast, writer and directors (Kaseifu no Mita, Queen's Classroom).

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Loved it

Hard to understand the negative reviews . For me this is a lively , entertaining , high spirited show with a brilliant cast ,
Grief , friendship , enduring love , forgiveness , all well developed and very moving . In a busy and modern world which does not really stop to think and pause , the little town in Jeju with its close knit community can bring peace and safety to re charge the batteries , re assess and move forward . The music is well chosen , the scenery beautiful , and the characters are all warm, affectionate and engaging in spite of their drawbacks apart from the assistant who meets her just fate at the end . I have watched it twice already ,

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I fell for this drama from the first episode, the story was different and backstory was well thought out. The main story line is about an unforgettable love that starts in childhood and how live and outside factors can create roadblocks for the main characters.

This was my first drama with Joo Jin Mo but I love his movies so I had very high expectations and he did not disappoint. I think that the first couple episodes when we get the backstory were very well done and left me longing for more episodes of their childhood.

This is truly a melodrama so expect lots of feelings and heartache and frustration.

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Story- Nothing special here folks. you got the love quaddrangle, pathetic girl becoming obsessed with guy, guy in love with other girl, then guy later hiding his true feelings for pathetic girl for the longest time. Ending is blah.

Acting/Cast- I was intrigued by the casting but in the end the way the writers wrote the characters just made me lose interest. The chemistry was there between the leads but it was wasted. I thought the casting for the second female lead was all wrong. She wasn't as pretty as Han Chae Young so it was hard to believe that both male leads would pick her over HCY's character.

Music- It had a couple of nice songs but it wasnt too memorable.

There's no way i'd rewatch this!

Overall- this drama had some funny moments but with the average storyline and ending, this should only be watched when all the best dramas out there have been watched already.

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I just finished watching this drama and now I'm so upset that it has finished. This drama was different because it was more about life lessons and family rather than romance which I really liked. The trio was so good and i was even more excited when I found out they were family. It was such a sweet drama whilst also being funny at the same time. It teaches you how to deal with grudges and how to let go, a really mature perspective on things . And I loved seeing sung-jae especially since he is in the army now. I had never seen him as an actor but his acting skills were amazing , especially towards the end. I would highly recommend this drama to anyone who wants something comedy whilst having an amazing story.

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DARK N DEEP PLOT

Why is there not a single review in this beautiful movie? Anyways
I just watched this for matsuyama but this movie has what japanese are good at while making anything : DEPTH N DARKNESS.
A little violence not much to scare u off so dnt mind it .its a serious crime story with a complicated romance .
I have seen males playing these kind of roles n it suits them but it really makes me excited when this role is played by a female n she is a brilliant actor she played this role very well from beginning to when she changed n after that.
I loved the backstory n how they are made, i was never so excited for flashbacks n backstories before.
Characters,chemistry , music, atmosphere, acting all are 10/10 for me. Its a must watch.
Not a good review but i really hope u watch the movie.

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Before watching this movie prepare yourself emotionally to be torn apart.

They say that after a really good show, you can't say that it was a success if the audience bursts into applause, but if they remain silent even for a few seconds after it's done. This IS the kind of movie that after you're done watching you'll find yourself gazing at the closing credits, reflecting on what you just saw.

Usually when I want to watch a movie I don't read the description, nor do I watch any trailer. I just search up the poster, read some opinions and then I'm good to go. Therefore, I had no idea what to expect of this movie, since I didn't know the story at all, and I'm kind of glad I did. It was much more enjoyable.

I think the cast was well chosen. Kora Kengo and Horikita Maki were perfect for their roles. I was surprised to see Horikita Maki play such a serious role (as I was being used with her only playing roles like Ashiya Mizuki in 'Hana Kimi'), but it suited her.

Overall, "Into the white night" reminded me of "Confessions", another one of my favourite movies. What they have in common is not the story, but the way they were directed; it was beautifully shot, in my opinion, and they captured the scenes perfectly, thus managing to convey the right emotions.

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So good that it needs to be made into a full series!

This short form show needs to be made into a full series immediately!

While you can only get the first three eps on Youtube, some beautiful human downloaded the whole series onto BiliBili which you can watch here
https://www.bilibili.tv/en/video/4793311726800896

Good acting, good story, cute wimpy corporate slave, hot Yakuza - what more could you want? The Japanese have such a talent for concise storytelling and the fact that they have crammed what could comfortably be a 10 episode series into 30 minutes is testament to that. That being said, I liked it so much that I want more! More cute moments, more tough Yakuza moments, more back story for both characters, more shots of that tattoo!

Well done, Japan - another winner from you. This show is definitely worth 30 minutes of your time.

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Amazing Tibet biking documentary

I love to know how Zhang Zhehan is throughout the best Tibet biking documentary. The people he met, the stunning landscapes of Tibet captured by him, and the words showing his lovely and thoughtful mind, all let me know the importance of life keep going and no regret to the past. I wish I can see more about this kind of documentary by the director Zhang Zhehan.

It's really the August I imagined, and it's not just that August. Listening to Zhang Zhehan talk about every August he encountered in his life, until that moment. He pushed August into the abyss with us, watching him climb up the iceberg step by step, with endless cliffs next to him, as if that August had been embodied in this way, and then restarted in August of 2022, and finally August of 2023. Arriving in his dream Tibet, I seemed to be inspired by his indomitable spirit and revived, just like I had experienced the past three years with him.

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This is definitely a sweet little sentimental film. Unlike many time-travel dramas and movies, it uses this theme in the sense of “what if” and leaves viewers to reflect about life. The lead character does not go back in time to save the world but to merely save his loved ones. It’s personal and small-scale. I loved the reactions (I wouldn’t say ‘relationship’) between his present and past self, and I thought they looked so much like father and son.

This movie had a quite ‘commercial’ mood, meaning they made the overall tone light enough to reach a wide range of viewers. The directing, the cinematography, the atmosphere, even the story and the core message itself weren’t explored in depth. Personally I think It lacked personality, considering the fact that I enjoy independent films where messages are deeper and cinematography targets my ‘aesthetic trash’ self. In the story here there’s only a bit of romance, a bit of friendship, a bit of comedy, a bit of family and a bit of medical, portrayed in a rather vibrant palette. Nothing particularly stood out. Nothing deep.

However, this could be a good point for someone who’s looking for a rather light watch. It’s really nothing grand like its *wrong* choice of tagline: “What if you get 10 chances to change your past?” It doesn’t drive you to calculate your ability for 10 times time-travel that much.

Acting was really great in here. The leads Kim Yoonseok and Byun Yohan were alive in their roles. Other actors also did well. The music didn’t stand out to me, but it wasn’t awkward. It also seems like an easy choice to rewatch, but I don’t really know what I’d rewatch this for. I’m not a re-watcher so don’t mind my score.

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So far the best wuxia martial arts based drama from china that I've watched. Most have many stupid plots thrown in as well as love stories that go wrong for stupid reasons but this drama manages to find a good balance and at least give sensible reasons for most of the things that go wrong. Also has a happy ending if you care about that stuff.

One of the things I enjoyed most in this is when the main character goes into disguise and does chivalrous hero stuff. Theres usually lots of hilarious content when he does that though it only happened about twice if I remember correctly. This is your basic regular-martial-artist-turned-super strong/strongest-after-journeying-the-wuxia-world-and-learning-skills-from-some-master(s) type of story. So if you're a fan for that kind of stuff (or Jin Youngs novel adaptations) you should definitely give this a go. It has all that ridiculous martial arts with people flying all over the place (aka wire-fu) and explosions happening lol (like actual explosions and not a lot of the crappy cg effects you see in Chinese drama these days due to budget restraints or whatever).

Overrall production was very well done. The characters immersed with expertly/appropriately designed costumes (got to respect actresses as nuns with actual shaved heads, or at least wearing props that make them look bald), so many awesomely choreographed martial arts fights, lots of non-cg explosions, so many epic moments and the build ups that lead to them, and a really good love story that pondered some challenging questions; The love of a man from a righteous sect and a woman from an evil sect and what it meant to be considered righteous/evil in such a time. Oh and theres bloody conspiracies.

Major flaw with this series is that there are parts of the story that seem out of place or missing. It could have you confused like you missed an episode even though you didn't. An example would be when the next episode does not continue from the cliffhanger of the previous episode (Unfortunately this happens quite a bit during the first few episodes and then once/twice in the later eps). I think they might have shot too much footage and had a hard time deciding what should be included in the final cuts. And thus parts of the story might have been cut off. This was my only major gripe with the drama even though it still ends up being my fav wuxia series. Also watch out for episodes being mismatched on streaming sites e.g. a video would read ep 39 but it’ll be listed under episode 38 in most sites (this exact problem is present in most sites except youre streaming on maybe dramafever, which probably has better subs as well)

Still the overall experience definitely makes this a must watch. So if you can ignore the major flaw I mentioned and make it past a few eps, you just might find yourself an enjoyable wuxia adventure with a love story you’d be happily shipping.

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