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The story is quite simple and slow actually. A couple of friends who swear to never get romantically involved. Da Ren is the sweetest and the most considerate drama character (male) I have come across. Seriously, all the guys of the world should watch this and take notes on how to treat a girl. You Qing is amazing. She is an awesome person and most of the time she doesn't even realize this. She sees herself as cold and bitchy when she's actually very caring. And as for Wei (Sunny Wang) I don't know about you guys but for me, the guy's a creep and a perv. Seriously, even when he's being all serious and sincere I can't contain myself from rolling my eyes. And those tattoos are no joke! Scared the hell out of me when I first saw them. But overall, great acting by everyone. No wonder they bagged so any awards this year. Highly deserved.
Coming to the music - I love it. Especially the song that Da Ren wrote :)) I'm definitely going re-watch this. Especially all the funny moments and the cute moments. Might skip all the stiff with Ding Li Wei though :P
Ok, I've changed my mind. I would recommend it to everyone. If you're in a dilemma over this drama I'd say - GO FOR IT! And if you're in a dilemma whether you should continue watching this drama, I'd say DON'T GIVE UP! Really, the ending would be worth it. After all, all's well that ends well, right? ;)
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This review may contain spoilers
One of the Best well spent Movie I've seen in 2019. I laugh, cried, thrilled and feel for the character. It reach it's full potential in terms of emotional ride, and the most awsome is not forget to insert the little detail into the narrative, make the story become richer. The idea is pretty common, but the execution is mindlowing and full of heart. Imagine if you are in heroes situation when you hardly trying hard in everything you do and you complain every single little thing. But you seems no longer care that much, until you are put in a dangerous situation when your life is on the line Off course, the execution is bit convenient at times. Nevertheless. do Well deserved admission record. Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I'm going to keep this review short and simple Firstly, I watched this show fairly quickly, so it does have its addictive value.
I didn't skip ahead in any scenes except for the last episode which is weird since most would most every second of the last episode. But my reason was the ending...
To many, the ending is happy since Abu ended up with Yi Hai Lan, but what is stupid and unjust is the treatment to the actually Xuan Mo. This Abu not only stole Xuan Mo's body without properly asking to use it but also stole her life, her crush and her friends. I thought once at lease in the middle of the show Abu would return to her planet, and leave Xuan Mo to Yi Hai Lan and they both get together, but no. What's so inconsiderate is that everyone's mean to Xuan Mo, the original girl without any supernatural abilities, high intelligence and extreme fighting skills. But once she is possessed by this alien everyone likes her. What the nonsense? At least they should have let stupid Abu leave the girl in the end I mean you already fulfilled your mission, and you claim to be so great Abu, but you still have possession of Xuan Mo's body. Imagine how Xuan Mo would feel, just being trapped in her own body, but it's not her that's having the fun times with her friends, brother and Yi Hai Lan. I mean like her life as an actual human being was so depressing, at least give her something you know? The entire time I was waiting for the real Xuan Mo to come back, and when she doesn't I immediately hated Abu. Abu even had the nerve to say "I wanna be with you forever" to Yi Hai Lan so irritating. And what is even ruder is that none of the characters find it wrong for another being to have control of Xuan Mo's body and none of them tells her to leave so that they can see the real Xuan Mo which means they didn't give a s*** about the real Xuan Mo.
However, despite that the story is alright.
Still mad though
Though I was keeping it short and simple but I guess not.
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This review may contain spoilers
This is by far one of the best Kdrama I've watched in the years of my life. It has a unique genre covering a story between God, the devil and human. It also covers about human's greed and selfishness. It's a pity this drama seems to be underrated. I really enjoyed the story line. The writers are great (kudos to them) for writing the ending. It gave closure to the watchers (not many drama do this nowadays). I especially love the ending as the writers gave each characters a great ending, though not happily ever after kind of ending, but it sure won't leave you to your own imagination.
I really love Igyeong's character in this drama, she was so humble, kind-hearted and unselfish girl (which doesn't really existed in reality). There are some lessons you can get from this drama (some wise advise from Harip towards the end).
A big round of applause to the actors and actresses portraying the characters perfectly. To the point of that annoying Jung Ra-in (but got used to her towards the end as the writer made her to be good). The devil's character was portrayed perfectly evil (facial expressions, etc). It was an AMAZING casts. Thank you for the hard works into this drama.
Lastly, the musics... I guess.. the phrase "Let the music heals your soul" does really apply in this drama. I love all the musics in this drama. If you really like music, go listen to it. I may not understand Koreans nor did I read the songs translations but the music itself is pleasing to the ears. Some of the songs are already embedded in my brain and can't help to hum it every time I hear the melody.
Overall... if you really like drama.. this is a must watch... this drama is superb.
Hope my review helps...
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More a slice of life drama than a romance
This was one of the most anticipated BL dramas that I wanted to watch in the past year. The story, and the actors that would be playing the parts, really intrigued me. The storyline that involves organ transplantation, specifically the heart, is not a new idea, but it certainly hasn’t been overdone either. There were many parts of the drama that lived up to my expectations. The acting, the cinematography, the dilemma in the story of someone else’s life being sacrificed for your own. And overall I really liked the themes that were presented of camaraderie , family, friendship and living a simple contented life.However, to call this a romance....is a little generous. I would call it bromance more than anything. I did not feel romantic chemistry between the main couple, though they had good acting chemistry. I know it may be petty, but I was extremely disappointed to not get any kind of affectionate overtures from them until the last episode. And until the last minute they didn’t even kiss each other! Now I understand culturally there is a difference in how romantic couples may show their affection. As well as the characters personalities. But you also have to sell me on some kind of physical attraction in order to believe that these two seemingly heterosexual man all of a sudden are romantically interested each other and want to spend their life together. I would be interested in reading the book and seeing if it differed in this way. Maybe they were trying to keep it rated “G” in order to appeal to a larger audience on television?
That said, I don’t feel like I wasted my time watching it. The child actors were very good and adorable. I liked the themes and the general storyline and how one can change their life for the better. But I would not watch this again, and I definitely would not recommend it to someone as being a romance. It’s more like a slice of life drama.
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This show has pretty much everything - a compelling romance, exciting mysteries and action scenes. In a way the story felt very similar to I Hear Your Voice, probably because they share the same writer-director team.
I love that the central relationship is strong - Choi In Ha and Choi Dal Po, and there isn't too much unnecessary angst as is too often the case in Korean dramas, and it gave us so many scenes of cuteness.
Well it certainly seems like everything Lee Jong Suk touches on TV turns to gold. While his character in this show really reminds me of his character in I Hear Your Voice, I didn't feel there was any baggage in his portrayal of the character. I was compelled and won over to his side, and rooting for him and his relationships and journalistic career. Can I also say Lee Jong Suk is a damn good crier?
Park Shin Hye finally was given the opportunities to show her abilities in dramatic and comedic acting which seem to have been buried somewhere after You're Beautiful.
I am a fan of Roy Kim and was pleasantly surprised at Tiger JK's inclusion in a drama soundtrack, so I quite enjoyed this soundtrack.
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Nothing Burger
Oh wow...what a nothing burger of a series. Considering the entire story revolves around Im Sera’s tragic accident 25 years ago and her journey back to reclaim her stardom, the finale completely failed to deliver. Sure, the mystery behind the accident was technically resolved but the payoff was shallow. The villains’ downfalls were barely shown and the supposed politician mastermind remained a faceless, irrelevant figure from start to finish. He had maybe four scenes total, none of which gave him any real impact or substance, so when the truth finally came out, it felt more like "Okay? That’s it?” than a satisfying reveal.And then that ending… honestly, what was that? We jump ahead to Bong Chaengja having founded her own company and finally achieving her dream of winning at Cannes with Dongko being there and then, just moments later in the press conference scene, she refers to him as “a former acquaintance who was dear to her,” and suddenly he’s in the audience asking her to move beyond a “professional” relationship? It felt like the writers couldn’t decide which ending to go with so they just awkwardly included both.
In the end, nothing really landed. Honestly, I should’ve just left this one dropped after episode 3. What did I even watch it for? Because as a whole, this was one big, directionless mess that didn’t know how to end.
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Overall, I liked it, damn near loved it. True, the ending was what I wanted but not expecting. I have to say the acting by all of the characters was stellar! From Jo In Sung to Song Hye Ko as well as Kim Bum and Kim Tae Woo as Moo Chul.
Do I recommend it? Absolutely! Welcome to one of favorites for 2013! And Jo In Sung, I am happy to finally see you in a drama that I finished, loved and will cherish!
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Even EmiBonnie Couldnt Save This One
Emi and Bonnie are so good together you would hope that would make this show watchable— but it doesnt. The entire plot is 2 girls fighting over one person and confronting eachother in the weirdest and pettiest ways possible. If you like to see people argue, this might be your thing— but for 99 percent of people, youll probably want to rip your hair out. Cant forget the “cant kiss me on the lips yet” plot point and the random phonk that starts playing during arguments. I kept watching because I was fooled into thinking they would actually resolve anything.Was this review helpful to you?
Happy Ending
The drama is light and easy to watch.. there are moments that will make u cringe over the FL for being naive and sort of stupid in choosing men but hey! That’s what makes the audience moved by emotions..It also has moral for women who seeks love.. Love yourself.. respect yourself.. be wise.. be honorable.. be fair.. always showing goodness even if ur treated badly.. rise up.. finding good in everyone..
I loved that the ending is sweet and shows unconditional love for both the leads..
kudos to Li Hongyi for choosing good projects..
To all the casts that’s in this drama they really showed us different sides of their characters.. keep it up!
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Otherwise I feel the storyline is lacking depth. There is much history between the two lead roles which is not clearly defined. Dramatization of certain parts seems too extravagant and doesn't seem realistic. And the story feels rushed. 40 episodes would have been a more comfortable stretch if they had dug into the main characters a bit more.
The music was good, however not addictive. When I listen to its title track, I immediately do not connect to the 24 episodes that I saw. In many other dramas like Guardian, GOT, Scarletheart, Prison Playbook, Legend of Chusen, etc; their OSTs are very addictive and recognizable.
But still, it was a great one time watch. ENJOY!
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To be able to enjoy this film, you first need to prepare yourself mentally, open your imagination, widen your horizons and forget about the usual filmmaking. If you’re unable to do that then it’s unnecessary to even think about watching this.
This film talks about one of the most famous Japanese folklore tales; Goemen who’s almost a splitting image of Robin Hood with some changes. This also takes historical events and figures from the 16th century into consideration but this should never be considered a reference to Japanese history because it’s inaccurate most of the time.
The film’s pace was really fast; sometimes it doesn’t even give you a chance to think twice. It’s action packed and quite bloody and violent. It’s a samurai/ninja tale so you can pretty much expect a lot of fighting, killing and blood splashes all over the place but it wasn’t overdone. Beside the martial arts and swords clanks, there were also bromance, humor and even some little romance moments so it doesn’t leave you room to complain about the extra-focus on action.
The casting of this film was spot on. Eguchi Yosuke is such a talented actor and one of the best older actors in Japan; he has a strong onscreen presence which made the role suit him very well. The other actors where quite good especially Osawa Takao; I really loved his interactions with Egushi.
The characters were also rather enjoyable with all of their interesting developments. It’s true that most of the characters in this film are real historical figures but that doesn’t specifically mean that every character development and destiny is historically accurate.
Now, let’s speak about the cores of this film which are: CGI, visuals and realism. This film is packed with CGI, it’s a fantasy alright but it’s not a Hollywood fantasy; this is made in Japan. I am not saying that as a bad thing, I actually mean it as a good thing because no one will dare to make or even give the green light for a similar film to be made in Hollywood. The CGI in this film was never meant to be real; it’s not only unreal but it’s also mythically surreal. Just think of it as if you’re playing a Samurai or a ninja video game or watching an animated book being made into a film; that’s the best way to get used and to accept the effects in this film. And yes, creativity has no limits; Kiriya Kazuaki deserves all the respect for taking his chances and making this film.
The visuals where eye-catching and the somewhat dark cinematography was very well done. Maybe the costumes used for this film aren’t historically accurate. Because after all, those armors aren’t what samurai lords and vassals used to wear but that’s trivial for the storyline’s flowing. And just for the record, this film was made with a low budget so it’s pointless to compare it with visually proclaimed Hollywood films when it doesn’t even get 10% of their budget.
Watch this if:
-You’re an action lover but as I mentioned, you should keep your imagination alert.
-You like Samurai and Ninja stories.
-You’re into somewhat weird Japanese cinema.
-You like to watch an impressive Japanese tale that resembles a fairytale without the exaggerated storytelling.
Do not watch if:
-You don’t appreciate creative filmmaking; it’s useless to waste your time on this.
-You dislike Japanese weird films and you find them strange and a waste of space.
-You think you can compare this to other films you’ve seen before.
-You like to watch historically accurate productions because this one isn’t.
Goemen is a film against standards; it has its own genre and needs its own viewers. Needless to say, this is absolutely not directed for everyone.
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9.5 for the first 30 episodes, 5 for the remaining
This is really a difficult review:If I would only rate the first half of the drama, I would give it a 9.5; the second half a 5; so altogether, it became a neither here nor there 7.
This drama, adapted from a popular internet novel, revolves around a notorious evil ex-sect leader Lu Zhao Yao and her story of revenge at the supposedly benevolent sects. But the story truly after she has died and wanders as half spirit half-human body, taken the shape of another girl, Qin Zhi Yan, whose personality is 180 degrees different than hers. The other great aspect is her romance with the new sect leader, Mo Qing, whom she saved in the past, but due to a misunderstanding she wanted to kill at the start but later hopelessly fell in love with.
What I love about this drama:
** The first half (up to about episode 30): except for the first 2-3 episodes at which the story was a bit confusing, the remaining episodes up to episode 30 were executed extremely well as the story and character development stick fairly close to the original work, which is original, light-hearted and funny. The episodes have a good pace, the progress logic but unexpected. There is a clear path towards a climax and an "ending" to it, that leaves the audience satisfied.
** The romance and chemistry between the main leads: the way how the relationship between LZY and MQ has developed is extremely natural and sweet. My emotion was going wild moving up and down together with the progress of how their misunderstanding got slowly resolved. There are a few really romantic moments in this drama, especially the kiss scenes are probably the best ones I have ever seen in a c-drama. Bai Lu is wicked, strong, and cunning on the outside, but righteous and caring on the inside. MQ is kind-hearted and caring but also easily jealous, strong and would do everything to protect LYZ.
** The acting of the main leads: Both Bai Lu and Xu Kai have done a fantastic job bringing LYZ and MQ to life. Through this drama, I have fallen helpless in love with Xu Kai. I have seen him in Once upon Time in Lingjian Mountain but did not think much of him at that time. But now I know why he is this popular. He can project this affectionate and kind gaze, the kind of gaze of being deeply in love with the female lead that is just heart-melting. His facial expressions showing sorrow, jealousy or anger are extremely to the point, I am in awe. The same can be said to Bai Lu. Her character is one of the most interesting female lead characters I have seen in a c-drama.
I also need to give big praise to the second main leads Shane Yan playing Qing Zhi Yan and Daixu playing Jiang Wu. Shane Yan had to play two opposite characters which she did excellently. Her character showed the most growth in the drama. Jiang Wu is bossy and malicious but developed a very loving side towards the end.
** The supporting characters. The Legends has a great set of supporting characters: Gu Han Guang, the doctor, and Zi You, the narcissistic sect lead are my favorites. Most supporting characters, even the evil ones, have a story that made them 3-D and the audience becomes empathetic with them. However, some of the stories were too long and often cut in at the wrong moment.
** The music: the title song Zhao Yao (same as the Chinese name of the drama) is extremely beautiful and I have been listening to it non-stop since the drama.
What I disliked about the drama:
** The second part of the drama starting from episode 30 onwards: The episodes start to fill with filler episodes with little involvement of the main leads. The characters of the main leads start to change to a state of none-recognizable. The audience can clearly see that there is less effort made to make the scenes look professional. Esp. the last few episodes are a disaster: the editing and story development are all over the place and nothing made sense anymore which left me feeling a little... WTF’ish. My train of thought during the early part of this drama went something like this:
“Oh no, how can this happen? Oh, good, nothing bad happened ... Wait, what are you doing...? Hm, isn't this the scene that supposed to come earlier...? But then where is this scene coming from?... Oh no, he is gone?! Oh, he is back again!... Is this a sad ending?... Should I cry?... Is this a happy ending? Should I smile? ... utter confusion.
I found out that the scriptwriter, the novel author herself, adapted the drama to fit a 28-episode long drama, which had a different ending than the original script. Later she was told to extend it to 40 episodes, which she barely made it. However, then she was asked to extend it to 56 episodes which forced her to completely rewrite everything last minute. Thus it completely derailed from its original story, including the personalities of the leads as well as the bad editing and the fillers in later part of the drama. The fans started to criticize this drama in the middle of its airing that the makers start to cut the final episodes so the direction of the final episodes changed completely to be closer to the original story to please the audience. Even the makers themselves had to issue an official apology after the final episodes have been aired.
After watching it, I felt so dissatisfied that I went back to read the original novel to reimagine how the drama would have been if it had stuck to the original story. So far, I like it very much. With what I can see, the drama had the potential to become a "second Untamed" but failed to do so due to the awful capitalism of Chinese drama land that made this drama a complete disaster at the end. (Yes, you heard it right, it is the same director as the Untamed! Now you know, next to the actors, the director, it's the scriptwriter who is the soul of every drama).
All in all, If you are a fan of Bai Lu or Xu Kai and have a good imagination you might want to watch it to the end. Otherwise, I would recommend you watch it to episode 30 and just take the interim climax as an ending which is satisfactory in itself.
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Memories are a Powerful Tool
Should a person's memories be toyed with lightly?Initially, I thought this drama was a carbon copy of He is a Psychometric (2019), but it is nothing like it. It takes us into a head-scratching world of a labyrinth of mazes with no escape. The first few episodes were a hurdle for me, and then it was a cat and mouse game until the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, but some subplots felt out of place, yet it somehow came full circle connecting the dots. Serial Killer dramas are a hit or miss sometimes easily predictable that the suspense falls flat. Many people will criticize this work as an overused, unoriginal plot, and too many cliches, but I did not think so. Memorist was not your typical Serial Killer Drama by no means, and it kept up the tension.
At first, I debated how the drama would reach sixteen episodes because of the wild ride we take as the viewer. Some people mentioned it the plot might have switched last second towards the backend of the drama. I was losing my patience with the first-time screenwriters, but I persevered through the hidden walls in the mazes the screenwriters set for us. I will miss this little gem. Dramas are without their faults. My biggest pet peeve was the Female Lead wearing heels when she went out in the field pursuing a suspect, but she put herself in those situations.
I had the privilege to see the growth of Lee Se Young and Yoo Seung Ho from child actors to the young actors today in my seventeen-year K-Drama journey and counting. Lee Se Young’s character is smart and resourceful, that makes you believe she knows her criminology. The character development is well-paced, but someone viewing should expect road bumps crafting a story. A little tip self-educate yourself if you did not so already: The caliber of the character you hunger is not flawless. You may enjoy few shows from a select few screenwriters.
Yoo Seung Ho did a phenomenal job as a person with supernatural powers. The Director and Screenwriter put their twist on the Supernatural genre that intrigued me to some degree. Dong Baek is a character drama lovers will come to love and hate because of the screenwriting. He had a strange aura about him that almost screams danger approaching. In my opinion, A tremendous supporting cast that held up pretty well throughout. The drama based on a webtoon that I have not read, so I can comment on how closely it follows the webtoon.
I did not love the music as sometimes the OST fell flat or was unnecessary in the early episodes and scattered, later on, but I did not mind it. I especially liked one of the songs at the end of one of the episodes I felt appropriate called, "The End of the Story." The cinematography was above par to very good at times that kept me engaged the whole time, but you should not focus too much on the cinematography. I say go for it. I mean it a lot, but do not expect too much, and you get rewarded at the end. Preserve through the first five episodes, and you might end up relishing this TVN show. The world would be a colorless place without criticism.
My Final Rating: 8.63
Rewatch Value: I rewatched this twice already. Maybe watch it when there is a chill in the air.
What would you do if you cannot remember your past, but have Supernatural Powers?
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This review may contain spoilers
For those of you that did not take the time to watch this drama, all I can say is you missed out.I was curious. It did not take me long to fall in love with drama and the cast. What makes a drama successful besides the story line, is the chemistry between each cast member. That is what this drama had from beginning to the end. I knew that in some parts it would be different because as most Chinese versions of dramas that I have seen they tend to go deeper into each character. They did not disappoint me with this drama. They not only kept the story line in tacked but they also dug deeper and brought more depth to it. Now don't get me wrong, I loved Heal Me, Kill Me it was awesome and I have watch it several times. But, Seven Of Me is also an awesome drama that will make you laugh and cry. You will get lost in each episode. I want to say so much more because I don't want to put spoilers in it.
over all I give this drama 10 out 10
side note the drama is 38 episodes not 34
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