This drama is excellent. Love unexpectedly blossoms through music. I can so relate to Oh Hye Won. Sometimes a person feels like they are just moving from one necessity to the next (even if she was a little greedy) with out really thinking about how you are living your life. Then some one walks into your life and changes everything. The way the director portrays every emotion through music is so wonderfully done. I love that the writer actually assumed we would know what the character was thinking. The music is amazing. I even cried. Crying while watching a drama is rare for me.
Yoo Ah In is combustible. His emotional portrayal of Lee Sun Jae was perfection. I don't know any actress that could have played the roll of Oh Hye Won better than Kim Hee Ae. I really don't know how she gave off a feel of innocence. I felt like she was reliving her youth. Good for her. I was totally invested in the main characters. The rest of the people were good too, but I could have cared less about their characters. I think that is what the writer wanted. There is no second male lead. No one for you to care about except the two lead actors.
The music is phenomenal.
I say watch it. Maybe younger people wouldn't really be in to it. It isn't action packed or anything. It is a real romance.
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1"Don't judge the book by its cover"
First let me start this review with a mini rantThe only concern I see people having with this drama is that they said it normalize pedophilia. My defense on that matter is you would only consider a person a pedophile if he/she is occasionally attracted to children which in this case she's not because she was not attracted to him because he's a child. I know most will not agree with that argument but let's say you are correct and she's a pedophile. Does this drama normalize that psychiatric disorder? BIG NO. She's attracted to him but didn't take advantage in fact she was despised the whole time, the school, students and the society. The drama won't make you feel they are romanticizing that idea. As for the matter that it might affect the thinking of underage viewers. Do those kids have parents to guide them? Then what about stories like Robin Hood, mistress protagonist, serial killer etc. are those stories being normalize just because they were made? If you are inclined to call it a trash just by reading the synopsis then I am sorry but with that kind of logic I just couldn't help but think you are DUMB.
Chugakusei Nikki portrays the forbidden love between Hijiri, a middle school teacher and Akira, one of her students. The drama follows their story for the course of several years. There will be time skip in the middle of the drama, 3 years to be exact, when Akira is 18 years of age. The characters are well written, Hijiri was portrayed really well as an inexperienced teacher, adult yet not matured, and also Akira as rebellious and confused teenager. Side characters are interesting too especially Haraguchi and Shotaro, it's also interesting to see their love story develops. Their love is somewhat similar yet different. The plot is sensitive but the drama handled it tastefully, it is nowhere near as creepy as you might think. This show is also grounded to reality in that every emotion these characters portray is very relatable. What I also like is the pacing it's very balanced which makes every episode engaging. The drama also knows how to play with our emotions. The director is just so good on how to build tension and also how to end every episode. Expect roller coaster of emotions, it's highs is wonderfully high and it's lows is absolutely devastating, there's even couple of scenes where I was on the edge of my seat and to think this drama is not a thriller.
~ A good rain chooses the right time to fall and so it falls ~
~ When it comes to spring, the rain is certainly falling ~
~ It follows the wind and secretly enters the night ~
~ While the wind is blowing, the rain continues to fall until night ~
~ And moistens everything softly, without any sound ~
~ Silently, almost making no sounds at all, it makes everything wet ~
This poem in episode 1 summarizes the whole drama. It is a metaphor to the kind of love between Hijiri and Akira, a pure love similar to dramas such as Sekachu, Endless love series, Koizora, Be with you, Heavenly Forest etc. Pure love genre if you would know is what popularizes Asian drama. It basically portrays a couple that faced many obstacles. Pure love in sense that even after so many years they still long for each other. We haven't seen this genre for quite some time and I already see upcoming dramas with similar genre. This drama will trigger another pure love era.
Cinematography is just captivating. I love how they capture the green landscape on camera, the shot during sunset, falling rain drops, fireworks and that weird fish eye effect they always use. Those are not just gorgeous shots but also serve as a symbol to what these characters feel. That's beauty about Japanese drama, it is full of symbolism and just like what I always said, great cinematography is similar to great painting, it is not just beautiful but also captivates you, will make you move closer and examine the painting and not just say "oh this painting is beautiful". Music in this drama is just perfect, it underlines the mood and helps showing the emotions of each characters. It is a really great piece of background music. With great drama comes great ending song and "Prologue" by Uru is just like that. It's not just a great melody because if you read the lyrics it will make sense why they choose it as the ending song.
The acting is just brilliant but other than the acting, the casting needs more praise. They just casted right people for the roles, Arimura Kasumi for example, she has this cute, inexperienced image and if you watch the drama having that image made her portrayal of hijiri so effective. They also cast a rookie for the role of Akira, it a nice decision by them as it requires a certain rawness to the character. It doesn't mean Okada Kenshi is not a great actor though. He is indeed fantastic as he provides the intensity and angst to the role. They won't call him a super rookie is he is not. The side characters are also well casted, if you follow Japanese drama long enough you would be familiar with Yoshida you and Natsukawa Yui, they were both underrated actresses. Their characters played an important role to the story and they played them really well. Aside from Akira, it's the portrayal of those characters made this drama so much better.
Final episode will be tomorrow but I decided to make this review because what ever happen this drama will go down as one of the best Japanese drama I've ever seen and definitely my best Japanese drama this year. End game won't decide the rating this drama should get in my opinion because just like they said the journey is more important the than destination. More than just a drama but also an experience.
Edit
I've just watched the last episode and I don't want to spoil anything but it is indeed one of the best Jdrama ever!!!
Best Student-Teacher Romance Drama List
https://thatjapanesedramaguy.blogspot.com/2019/10/best-student-teacher-romance-japanese.html?m=1
Check my Blog for other reviews & other JDramas stuffs. (｡◕‿‿◕｡)
https://thatjapanesedramaguy.blogspot.com/
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1
1This review may contain spoilers
Character-driven drama with campy humor and titillating romance
Plot Summary:Zheng Shu Yi (Bai Lu) is a pretty, brilliant and hard-working 25-year-old reporter who hopes to write the front-page article of the Financial Vision magazine for at least the 9th time. And her ticket to scoring the latest cover article is to land an interview with the CEO of a venture capital company, 27-year-old Shi Yan (Dylan Wang), who, as it happens, has taken an interest in her, insisting the magazine send her to interview him.
Before that happens, her boyfriend dumps her for a girl surnamed Qin whose uncle owns impressive cars with impressive plate numbers. Having found out that Shi Yan has a niece with a surname of Qin and that he owns a roll royce with an an imposing plate number, Shu Yi concludes that her ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend is the niece of Shi Yan.
Armed with a desire to use her rejection as fuel to succeed in her career as well as with her dream of upgrading the online version of Financial Vision magazine, Shu Yi pursues Shi Yan to get him to agree to a series of interviews for the online magazine. That is, as she makes herself believe. But might she be harboring some other reason for pursuing the handsome aloof bachelor?
For some mysterious reason of his own that will be revealed later, the cold CEO, who would have likely spurned such advances from any other girl, humored Shu Yi. Frequently thrown in each other's company due to the interviews as well as their jobs, they develop a deeper bond that propels them into a rocky journey of growth necessary to bring about a lasting and happy relationship where honesty and effective communication prevail.
Review:
This drama is character-driven thus requires a good understanding of the characters to be thoroughly appreciated. Skipping scenes would jar one's ability to be drawn into the characters and understanding them. In addition, skipping scenes could make one miss the campy spoofing feel throughout the drama, such as Shu Yi's pursuit of Shi Yan, the blind-leading-the-blind attempts of Shu Yi's cocksure but clueless best friend to give her advice, Shi Yan's seeming ability to hear Shu Yi's thoughts which could be a device to show they are on the same wavelengths, the phone conversations that everyone in the room can hear, the phone interruptions, the over-the-top riding clothes and many more. Those who recognize the campy humor in these situations would laugh. Those who don't would grumble.
Therefore, if you skip scenes or don't pay attention to the story, don't blame the writer or director if you can't find, much less understand, the plot.
This drama does not describe characters by having somebody directly point out that, say, Shu Yi is brilliant or that Shi Yan is a visionary. The drama SHOWS the audience, another reason skipping scenes is a no-no.
Shu Yi is not the conventional sensible-can-do-no-wrong cdrama female lead. She is smart, kind, friendly, playful, a good sweet daughter, hard-working, cannot be bribed and stays cool when a conniving work rival plays dirty tricks against her. But having been pampered by her parents, she is spoiled, self-centered and not above using people to attain her goals. Most of all, the drama shows her tendency to lie, causing her to do things contrary to what she feels and to make excuses to avoid facing up to the consequences of inappropriate actions.
It is intentional that Shu Yi sometimes throws ethics to the wind. Those who think smart people never do stupid things have unrealistic expectations of people. A lot of intelligent people make unwise decisions. Shu Yi's ethical lapses are part and parcel of the story which is unique to one particular reporter who does some things she should not do. So, complaints about degrading her profession are terribly misplaced. It is highly improbable that the drama would make viewers think reporters do this sort of thing all the time. In fact, that's why this story is told - it deals with a unique character.
I understand why Bai Lu bravely took on this role. Shu Yi would have been a challenge to portray because not doing her right could have made her obnoxious. I was amused at her flaws, scrapes and outrageousness, indicating Bai Lu portrayed her well.
Shi Yan is another complex character. The viewers' first impression of him is his stoic demeanor which is likely the amalgamation of his reserved and taciturn nature plus his upbringing and grooming to take over a company that would have made him resolute about appearing proper and older than his age at all times. The business scenes show how intelligent, competent and forward-thinking he is by letting us see how he handles meetings with business associates and how he chooses business partners. For example. he concurs with a startup's philosophy to put quality of technology ahead of production. These scenes also show the challenges he faces from senior executives who undermine his capability to lead the company due to his youth and inexperience. To delineate his sincerity in helping startups, the drama shows us that through thick and thin, he stands by a struggling chip producer he has been helping to establish. He gets personally involved in the chip industry and time and again defends his company's stand to finance the startup.
The business scenes also show how compatible the leads are in terms of interests and values. They are both hard-working. Shi Yan's passion to give back to society by helping startups is matched by Shu Yi's passion to make a contribution to society by creating an online version of her company's magazine that would allow more people access to information about finance. They both agree in doing the right things such as when Shi Yan, with Shu Yi's support, refuses to work with a corrupt battery manufacturer.
As he gets to know Shu Yi better, Shi Yan unlocks other parts of his personality - his thoughtfulness and dependability, his gentle and caring nature, his jealousy and his vulnerability that he only shows in her presence. Reserved by nature, Shi Yan's love is shown through his actions - making sure Shu Yi has eaten or has a ride home, even cooking for her. He is a natural nurturer, the best person who can help a spoilt girl in her journey to maturity.
This drama also shows how lack of communication can exacerbate couple issues. This is another hurdle the leads must face and overcome. Those who are intently watching would actually welcome a rift between the leads to knock some sense into Shu Yi. She has a lot of growing up to do and Shi Yan is prepared to take that journey with her as long as she wants to. All he wants is to love her, if she wants that love. What hurts him, more than the thought that she used him, is the thought that she loves another man. He is heartbroken as he muses, "what you wanted was never me". Though it devastates him, he loves her too much to force her to be with him while she is unsure of her feelings. So he lets her go and gives her space and time to sort her feelings out.
One of the things I admire about this drama is how subtle it showed Shu Yi's growth. She was self-centered before she met Shi Yan. She treated her ex-boyfriend like a driver, choosing to do an interview rather than celebrate his birthday with him. When he broke up with her, it was her pride more than her heart that was hurt. Shi Yan's unselfishness must have rubbed off on her. When she received her bonus, the first thing she thought of was to buy her parents gifts. When Shi Yan blocked her, she did not try to make excuses for what she did as what a spoiled child would have done. She felt guilty and remorseful thus felt resigned to losing him. She remembers Shi Yan's loving care and was ready to talk to him in person. When she saw him with another girl, she most probably took that as punishment for what she did and accepted the heartbreak. When news of Shi Yan's shareholders broke out, she first thought of Shi Yan's feelings instead of the effect the news would have on her online magazine. When she finally broke down, she did not care that her fierce work rival was there to witness her anguish. She did not whine or complain about her heartache but got sick due most probably to intense mental and psychological pain.
But the starkest manifestation of Shu Yi's growth was that, when her relationship with Shi Yan stabilized, she stopped lying.
Finally, to complete this multi-dimensional characterization of Shu Yi and Shi Yan, one needs a good idea of the world they're living in. Their friends, families, work, hobbies and other activities provide that additional dimension to their world.
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'When the Camellia Blooms' is about a single mother who moves to Ongsasn with her extremely young son in hopes of owning a successful bar, The story progresses over 5 or so years where her bar isn't going exactly as well as she had planned and neither does she really fit in with the rest of the community there, she later on meets Yong Sik a police officer who falls for her at one glance. The story follows the two going through hardships to do with family and also a serial murder on the loose (sounds kind of clique lol)
The story was really well written and laid out, especially focusing on relationships with the character's mother's and being a mother, plus the sacrifices and hardships you have to overcome to protect your child. The story also followed with romance with a fateful couple and a married couple falling out of love.
The acting was really well played and suited each of the characters personalities! All really well acted. The emotions displayed really play with your heart strings! Especially DongBaek and her raw emotions and her crying is extremely contagious!!! Plus the interactions between Dongbaek and Yong Sik are so natural and have so many emotions it feels like your watching a couple together in public!
I really recommend this drama it's full of many versatile genres which would be the taste of most people as each genre is spread throughout the episodes so it 's not constantly romance or not constantly about crime or family which is sometimes a bit tasteless or insensitive to some moments in dramas but this is spread consistently so it doesn't always feel so strained and forced especially when it comes to romance between two characters where the chemistry is basically non existent
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This review may contain spoilers
Don't Forget Your Dream, Don't Forget Your True Self...
Master of My Own is one of those polarizing dramas where many viewers lauded the show as one of the best C-Dramas of 2022, while others criticized it for being too slow or boring. For me, I enjoyed this intelligent and inspiring show, and I think it is misunderstood and under-rated on MDL.Instead of being a typical rom-com or other more established genres like melodrama or horror, MOMO is a "slice of life" show, which concept is much hazier but provides a different kind of enjoyment especially when the viewer can relate to the story.
MOMO's appeal for me is how well the show depicted the everyday experience, the recurring themes of family and friendship, the struggles of daily life, and the stark portrayal of the good and bad sides of human nature. I also appreciated how the screenwriter and director teased out the characters' personalities, thoughts, emotions, and motivations by effective use of good dialogue, music, meaningful gestures, and props.
The story centered around Ning Meng, an ordinary young woman working towards her dream. There is a certain maturity about this drama, as it beautifully and realistically portrayed the growth, the angst, the resolution, and ultimately the success of our FL in her personal and professional lives. Ning Meng was hardworking, optimistic, plucky, and intelligent. Through talent, effort, good luck, and lots of faith in herself, Ning Meng navigated with grace and determination through the world of capital markets and investment.
Finding love with the ML, Lu Ji Ming, along the way was the icing on the cake, but that was not the show's focus. The main couple's romance was a slow-burn one. It started with them being on unequal footing, to one of friendship, and finally culminating in a way that I found satisfying.
Our main couple's journey was engaging for me, as they went through different experiences and ended up on the same path, working towards common life goals. As Ning Meng's confidence grew, Lu Ji Ming's ego took a beating. As Ning Meng's career took flight, Lu Ji Ming's crashed. Throughout it all, both showed worthy character growth and development. In this show, the main characters' little and large struggles and triumphs were well-written, executed, and acted.
Lu Ji Ming started off as a chauvinistic jerk boss who disparaged the FL's aspirations to be an investor. Shown initially as a successful investor who obviously thought that he was superior to everyone else, it became apparent that Lu Ji Ming was a quietly generous person who cared about loyalty and principles. Still, even though he had some redeeming moments as he showed concern, advised, and protected Ning Meng in his own arrogant way, I find it most gratifying that Lu Ji Ming did not end up with Ning Meng early and easily. Our poor ML had to struggle through some humbling moments first, but Ning Meng was there to support and encourage him.
The show hit the jackpot by casting Seven Tan as Ning Meng and Lin Geng Xin as Lu Ji Ming. They had great chemistry, and the dynamics between them were entertaining. Acting-wise, I am impressed. Seven Tan is a gem! Her acting as Ning Meng left a firm impression, and I was blown away by her superb performance. Lin Ge Xing clearly has the acting chops to pull off a cold to warm character like Lu Ji Ming. His expressions were on point, and in this show, in that persona, Lin Ge Xing exuded a certain charm and charisma.
I am a sucker for tall men and significant height differences between couples, and this show used it very effectively. It is not enough that Lin Geng Xin has an impressive height; the show also gave us Liu Cang as the SML.
Liu Chang's character, Su Wei Ran, got a lot of hate for being the creepy SML who could not move on past his first love's betrayal. His actions were selfish, and his desire for wealth and recognition was condemnable, but at the same time, it was relatable to real life. I had high hopes for his character development, and he did not fail me in the end. Liu Chang did well in portraying this lost soul. With his eyes alone, he showed the hopelessness and defeat that Su Wei Ran must have felt between doing the right thing and fighting his own desires, insecurities, and jealousy.
Without a doubt, the entire ensemble was great. The way the characters interacted with each other and dealt with life in general reminded me of how the people I know and I would behave in real life. The characters were nicely developed and, being adults, actually behaved like adults. None of that childish drama that the writers usually throw in to create conflicts.
I wish I knew more people like Lu Ji Ming's best friend, Ceng Yu Hang, who with his high EQ, was the "voice of wisdom" and the catalyst for many good moments between our main couple. Also, watching Ning Meng's parents, Xiao Yang and Xiao Song, and their funny interactions with our couple was time well spent. Not only that, there was a message of female empowerment with wonderful supportive relationships between Ning Meng and her best friend, her colleagues, and her boss, Shi Ying. Shi Ying was a true role model, and I would have loved to have a mentor like her.
The clothes and makeup also stood out for me because the show did not go for an idol drama feel with overdone makeup or avant-garde outfits. The actors looked normal, good-looking nonetheless, but refreshingly ordinary. I like how they styled Ning Meng from beginning to end. She looked cute in her glasses, albeit a little dowdy. It was nice to see how she naturally and realistically improved her outer beauty as she started to pay more attention, like using contacts, changing her hairstyle, and wearing more stylish outfits.
Finally, to top it off, the soundtrack was memorable for me. The way the show wove the songs and background music into the story was fitting and set the scenes and moods perfectly. Enclosed below is the link to the OST list, and I also included the link to the heartwarming song played in the background as Su Wei Ran reflected and pondered about his future.
Overall, I recommend that you try this drama out and see for yourself. Thematically for me, MOMO is a show that encapsulates life in many aspects and topics. It touches upon self-identity and personal growth, love (romantic and familial), friendship, respect and loyalty (to self, family, and principles), societal obligations and problems, the balance of power, wealth and inequality, and more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0ynz1wLE-k
终于可以说出那句我爱你 I can finally say that I Love You - 谭松韵 Seven Tan
寓言 Fable - 希林娜依·高 Curley G
甜蜜来袭 Tian Mi Lai Xi - 王赫野 Wang HeYe
那么多 So Much - 金玟岐 Vanessa Jin
寓言 Fable - 田园 TianYuan
那么多 So Much - 姚婷婷 Yao TingTing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGDeerbW5z8
夜空中最亮的星 The Brightest Star in the Night - 逃跑计划 Sky Escape Plan
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ran on vibes (though there were some sexy vibes)
Overall: my advice is to watch ep 1-3, 7 and 8. This series could have been a 9.5 but the paper thin/cliched plot and too many side characters lowered my rating. 8 episodes about 20 minutes each aired on Viki (U.S), GagaOOLala & WeTV depending on your country.What I Liked
- the child actors were adorable and did a great job (though I was confused about who was who)
- heart fluttering moments, boss Jun had some excellent flirting/innuendo laced conversations
- really good kissing/intimacy in the last episode
- that gift they received was awesome and how boss Jun had it in his hand at the end (this is a first I think for kbl)
- Mr. Heart actor cameos in ep 5 (did not enjoy the rest of ep 5 though)
- good communication in episode 7 (finally)
- production value (except poor editing with confusing flashbacks tossed in)
Room For Improvement
- paper thin plot, too much business meetings that I cared zero about, not enough time spent on the leads and explaining their motivations/reactions, why did the other interns bring up this HR nightmare but then it's never a problem? cliche poor communication skills (a 1 sentence text would clear up the misunderstanding in ep 5)
- what on earth is boss Jun's "plan?" Why did he wait until now? Why does he act like that with her and not clarify things? How stupid is he? Even his unworldly hotness couldn't save his nonsense actions, the writers never even bothered explaining why the two boys couldn't/didn't keep in touch
- too many characters that were not well developed, why was everyone so in love with intern Jun, he's nice but ????
- confusing flashbacks that weren't immediately apparent were flashbacks and didn't contribute much to the paper thin plot
- translation error in ep 1? confused who is who in the childhood flashbacks
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A drama you won't regret watching but will regret not watching ?
NO TOUCH!! ( If you know you know:))
.
Finally a drama that was able to snatch the place of my favorite drama and I think it'll stay there for quite some time.
Basically, it was on my watchlist since the release of the trailer but I couldn't watch it at the time of release because I prefer binge watching. Then I didn't watch it for months because I want to keep good things for my bad days and then finally I watched it and I loved it far more than expected. Everything about it was perfect to me.
Storyline was amazing, the cast and the acting was stellar, the music was amazing.
It was filled with humor. Like it can make the viewer cry and laugh at a time. The friendship was soo soo good, the bonds formed was natural.
The best thing was the character development. I hated some characters at first but the way they evolved was so good to watch.
The Queen have my heart. She is a spectrum of acting. The King was so warm and righteous but fun at the same time.
The other characters also did their job perfectly.
The trio of Queen, Court Lady Choi and Hong Yeon is so precious 🥺and also of the King, Prince Yeongpyeong, Byeolgam Hong and Kim Hwan . Royal Chef Man-bok was hilarious. Each and every character did their part perfectly. I wish I could write about all of them.
The villians were quite powerful in acting.
I liked the end. Tbh Instagram spoiled the fun for me since it is full of spoilers but many viewers were not satisfied with the end but it seemed perfect to me.
Overall, I loveddddddd the drama and now it left a void in me.
I'm going to miss it so badly😭😭😭
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The casting for this movie was perfect. Kang Ha Neul and Park Seo Joon just work SO WELL together. As reluctant police academy students, they were the best of bros and I was 100% here for it. Ki Joon and Hee Yeol's brain-brawn dynamic made for a wild ride, and I can't think of anyone else that would have delivered like these two did. They played off of each other, and after hearing that they ad-libbed quite a bit during the movie I was sold -- that friendship did not seem like acting at all. The bromance was so strong in this.
Midnight Runners was a great example of what a buddy-cop movie should be (though if you want a super serious police procedural, this isn't it). It balanced Ki Joon and Hee Yeol's light, easygoing antics with the gross (and tbh, kind of scary) villains. Also, it was INFURIATING, and I do mean infuriating at one part. I mean, ignoring a very real, serious issue just because protocol had to be followed?? I was about to tear my hair out. It was so, so frustrating.
Midnight Runners' only issue is that the action doesn't really pick up until around the second half of the movie. The beginning is more of a buildup of Ki Joon and Hee Yeol's dynamic, which I'm not complaining about, but the actual conflict doesn't really begin until about an hour into the movie.
Overall, Midnight Runners was a solid film. It's not anything heavy, and I can definitely think of worse ways to spend 1hr 50min. Even if cop movies aren't really your thing, the bromance and the way the two leads build off of each other is worth watching.
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The acting and chemistry between So Ji Sub and Han Hye Joo are what make this movie great. It's no secret I am a huge fan of So Ji Sub and I am very glad to see him do such a great job as Cheol Min ~ a man with a violent past who is struggling to rise above, better himself and repent the mistakes of his past. But I couldn't give this movie a higher score than 8.
Only You actually has a really great story set up: The rough, bad boy boxer unexpectedly meets a spunky, upbeat, innocent and mostly blind girl and they fall madly in love. Angst ensues when he tries to raise the money for an operation for her sight. I was thrilled watching the development of their romance. The way this movie played out would have gotten a higher score from me if they wouldn't have added the recycled element of connecting fates. The totally over used plot device of fate tying two lovers together is what drops the overall score for me. Time and again I see this scenario used in Korean movies and dramas and it gets old.
But the scenes between the lovers are filled with sweetness, sizzling chemistry, humor and heart. So Ji Sub is an extremely emotive actor who portrays every emotion in his eyes, expression and body language. He's just plain good. Call me a fan girl if you will but the man is talented. Han Hye Joo is also a favorite. I really liked her in Postman to Heaven and even more in Only You. She's one to watch for I think. I'd really like to see her in a drama again.
All the technical elements are there. Gritty, harsh lighting and gloomy settings and set design are used for his world and warmer light and more lovely settings are used for her world. When they are together everything is brighter. A nice touch by the cinematographer.
The music was very nice. Memorable in the opening sequence, in the love theme and the closing credits. I gave it a 9.
The re-watch value I give a 7 because in my case, the strength of my liking for the lead actor will have me watching this again. Others may feel differently.
Only you is a typical love story: touching, filled with angst but also includes a lot of light moments as well. I recommend it highly for all of us romantics out there.
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Great Story, Amazing Acting, Best of Chen Feiyu
Just as I thought Chen Feiyu’s acting somewhat lacking in Ever Night, he gives me a bombshell here in this drama. While I thought only Song Weilong has those eyes with words that cannot be spoken, Chen Feiyu possesses those similar irresistible gazes that make the viewers' heart ache. As I thought this drama is "just" another youth drama with immature characters and silly storyline, this story touches the real challenges of youth in the cutthroat IT world today.Lighter and Princess or L & P, is adapted from a popular novel. "Lighter" depicts the lighter that the male lead possesses whereas "Princess" is the nickname given to the female lead by the male lead. The story is narrated by Zhu Yun (Zhang Jingyi) of her encounter starting in her freshman year in college, 2012. The story has a span of 7-8 years with four years in college, 3 years in adulthood (not shown in details), and the current year of 2019. L & P has also come to mean "Lucky and Power" in the story.
In college, Zhu Yun is an innocent girl, but she is not naive. She is intelligent but unafraid to ask questions and to admit errors. She is obedient and responsible, at home and at school; she is the perfect daughter all parents want – an obedient child who never lies nor defies the parents. Having said that, Zhu Yun later begins to tell white lies and secretly defy her mother who is judgmental. I wish Zhu Yun had stood up to her mother and given her an ultimatum: “accept us or lose a daughter”. Zhang Jingyi puts up a perfect performance here as an uncertain and yet determined Zhu Yun. The actor’s adorable adolescent look and demeanor make her so convincing and lovable.
In romance, a perfectly good girl has to meet a totally opposite character. Here, Zhu Yun meets Li Xun (Chen Feiyu), an outrageous, arrogant, untamed, super intelligent, confident and unconformable character. Li Xun is a very misunderstood character, not only by people around him, even many viewers also don't understand him and therefore condemn him.
Here, I want to address some criticisms from viewers about Li Xun. Many viewers complains that Li Xun is misogynistic. Li Xun is definitely not a misogynist. He looks down on people not because they are women but because they are being mediocre. Those people he looks down on are usually people who get to high positions through connections, either they have powerful relatives, or they bribe their way through; these people do not have substance. This is a common phenomenon happening around the world. People buy their credentials and tout themselves as the experts, sitting in high positions, receiving high salaries and benefits, claiming credits for everything, while the real people doing the actual tasks receive measly compensations and no recognition. This is what Li Xun despises. He despises people with no substance but still have no self-realization to try to improve themselves further. And to improve, he laughs at those for reading and memorizing from text books. For him, improvement means getting your hands dirty, making mistakes and learning from the mistakes. Contrast his attitude towards Ren Di. He likes Ren Di because he feels she is authentic, pursuing her passion even against her father's will. He helps her in every way he can: financial support, a place for her to live, and extra school credit points from his coding club, etc. All these prove that Li Xun is not misogynistic.
Despite how Li Xun looks and behaves, deep down, Li Xun is a decent and kind person who loves his mother and sister dearly, and cares for all his friends even he himself is in a dire position. He is compassionate but doesn't give a damn how others think of him. Only Zhu Yun knows how he thinks, puts up with him and stands up for him throughout.
Both Zhu Yun and Li Xun are classmates in computer programming. But Li Xun is well ahead of his class as he is a computer whiz kid and a brilliant programmer but he doesn't use this skill for hideous crimes. He humiliates everyone as they seem childish to him with their shallow knowledge of the course. Everyone hates him for his badassness, and yet loves him for his ingenuity. Li Xun doesn’t follow frivolous rules; he finds generally people only care about how things look on the surface and not the substance inside, so he calls them fake. I love how he looks at everyone, a classic condescending look. Li Xun is a person with an attitude, and for me, that's Chen Feiyu’s natural look; Chen Feiyu fits into the Li Xun character seamlessly as if the character is written for him. In real life, if your boyfriend is such a character, I empathize with you, but in a romance, this type of personality captures the viewers’ imagination. I am so in love with this character.
According to readers, in the novel, Li Xun is flamboyant and has many girlfriends but none last long. Here in the drama, the Li Xun character has been whitewashed – instead, girls throw themselves at him, but he doesn't even look at them as if they are non-existent; they usually leave him alone after getting humiliating scolds from him. None of the girls attract Li Xun’s attention, until Zhu Yun comes into his sight. With her, he experiences jealousy and longing, and with him, she always believes in, no matter what. I really love how their relationship develops, slowly and steadfastly. It takes half of the drama for the trust and love to blossom before the couple is officially together.
College life ends at Episode 22, and the kids graduate, each starts their work life, further education, or something else (spoiler). Three years whizz past, present life continues. Our characters struggle with life, career and revenge. This is the beginning of romance 2.0, mature, steamy and sensual. Here we can see the growth of the characters compared to their college years.
The official sound tracks and background music are beautiful, capturing the ups and downs of our characters, and the mood of the story. I'm so glad that my favorite singer, Zhou Shen, sings one of the songs, Fireworks.
My Verdict
For me, not one episode is considered redundant or boring as I relish every scene and every moment. I really enjoy watching how the characters being carefully explored in detail, giving viewers multiple dimensions of the two main characters, both have flaws, both learn from their mistakes, and grow to become better person of their own. The writing of the characters is very realistic. In life, all of us could come across many of these characters: a child with outrageous hair color and an attitude, a sister who is also the perfect daughter, a classmate or a colleague who sabotages your projects and stabs you on the back, even the parents of Zhu Yun are the typical Chinese parents that many Chinese viewers can empathize with. There are many fine and sweet improvised moments of the love birds; this is candy for any romance buffs. The love is pure and deep, and reciprocated. The sacrifices are relatable. The humor is subtle and delightful. Not least, Chen Feiyu is a heartthrob.
In China, the Li Xun character is an outlier, but in the west, he’s a norm. Therefore when he's being called a "bad boy", my heart aches. What bad boy? Just because he doesn't conform to the norm? It upsets me that such a beautiful soul is being treated so unfairly by a society that demands conformity. Many people are fearful of making life changing decisions. Li Xun is decisive and fearless. Once he makes up his mind, he doesn't look back. For me, this is a highly valued quality and is well depicted, among others, in the multiple times he helps the hesitant Zhu Yun in clicking the submit button.
As Zhu Yun puts it, “He never looks back, confident, courageous, energetic, care-free. Forever with a determined direction, never with self-doubt.” These are the qualities all viewers would be inspired by the character.
Towards the last few episodes, the writing becomes soften with somewhat conflicting messages; everyone, including Li Xun, compromises in achieving a win-win outcome. The writing even has Li Xun get back in line with what society expects of him, and what it means by success - wealth. Nonetheless, this slight change of tone has not reduced my excitement of the Li Xun character and my enjoyment of the overall story.
This drama captures my heart, my imagination and my emotions, hence deserves a 10/10.
TWO THUMBS UP!
BRAVO!
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This review may contain spoilers
YESSS
this show reminded me of 2521 so much that i thought the ending would be bad, but personally the ending wasnt a bad ending since they didnt breakup which i find most important, but they didnt serve yk with that ending, but anyways this show would definitely be a good show to binge if thats what youre looking for, whilst watching it i wouldve wished someone told me it was a good ending so i didnt have to be so scared watching them fight or anything, i think 2521 left us with trust issues lmao, i definitely recommend this show btwWas this review helpful to you?
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Cute!!!
This is such a cute drama, the kid alone makes it enjoyable to watch. The mains chemistry is great, their interactions are adorable. They are also quite natural with their roles. It is quite cliché but whatever, you will find yourself grinning. Extremely fluffy to say the least.The editing is crap tbh, the characters are not realistic at all. Such as the things they do concerning their occupation is beyond questionable. I'll just say that the Aunt is pain! I find it frustrating to watch couples break up after confessing, makes the ending feel rushed and unnecessary plot device. There are inconsistencies but other than that, it is a good watch. I suggest switching off your brain cells tho.
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MHIYD chose to present itself as a romantic comedy. In other words, it promises its viewers funny moments while its protagonists develop a sweet or maybe light-hearted romance. Of course, any regular k-drama watcher knows that even a romantic comedy gives its couple harsh obstacles which can become tiresome at some points, but they eventually overcome them and everyone would be happy in the end. MHIYD's biggest flaw was that it actively made 'the obstacle' the center of the story and managed to ultimately rob the show out of its comedy and romance altogether. So, instead of watching two couples fighting obstacles to find love, we had to suffer as they fought love to NEVER be together. Consequently, there was only distress through most of the last third of the drama. Forget opposing parents and meddling second leads, crazy future ahjummas are the worst!
And after all the trouble, we were told that all of this meddling was much ado about nothing. I won't spoil it for you but here's a close metaphor. Imagine that someone crashes a wedding just before the "I declare you husband and wife" part arguing that the couple can not be wed because they're in fact blood-related siblings and if they get married, a horrible disease would plague the nation and everyone would die. Fifteen episodes later, said-wedding crasher discovered that it was the wrong couple, to begin with, and all the created mess was a big mistake. Oops!
The finale could have worked out if the drama wasn't fixated over the romance and chose to focus on the characters' personalities and lives challenges.
The saddest part is that MHIYD had a strong cast and refreshing characters. I would have loved to see more of Kim Shin and my favorite So Yoo Kyung. The pairings had chemistry and charm. Watching all of those interesting characters becoming dull and running through empty circles when they could have easily shined (if crazy ahjumma just let them be on their own) was such a pity, even a shame! Such a waste of potential.
The acting was good. The music was fine I guess.
Obviously, the rewatch value is low.
One more major flaw: I still can't believe that the production cast K-drama's Kissing Queen as their female lead and we still got no kisses! (I'm sorry I had to get it off my chest!).
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Pure ! They are so pure… I just wanna hug all these pure souls and no leave them go never!!
Lets go to start:
- Plot : Something new without introducing new things to the romcom (Yeah it sounds so twisted)
- Cast: ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. The leads are so extra and pure that I can't say nothing more.
- Drama itself: It had the perfect amount of love, comedy and good acting.
- Music and effects: SO CUTE AND FUNNY!
If you wanna spend a good moment watching a drama, buy this! Yeah, spend all your time and hours watching them. Embrace the cuteness of Seo in Guk (what a gem, is this puppy even real?)
Con: mmmmmm maybe the drama topic tips? But Bah you almost don't realize it and I gave up trying to find dramas who delete these topics.
If you wanna find yourself smiling when some of these characters are smiling, this will be your drama.
Have a good time queens and kings of shopping.
See ya!
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The pros are miles long but i'll sum it up without getting too wordy.. hopefully:
- a very easy watch with good flow that keeps you going from an episode to another. Even when the story are simple daily lifes of students
- nothing over dramatic or makjang
- no hateful or annoying characters
- wonderful friendships of diff types and forms
- great rapport of ML and FL. And very natural progression of frenemies to deskmates to being each other's drive and support
- realistic potrayal of school life. Including struggles of studying, of hopes and dreams and the fears that comes with it
- ML despite earlier depicted as rough ard d edges n curt in speech but never overtly so. His sensitive, cating n even protective side comes out. As the drama continues he makes you swoon with the simple actions
- FL nvr potrayed as most beautiful or most dumb. Shes the average girl with her own charm, cute and doesnt try to overthink too much. She has her own strengths and limitations and own dream too. I love she was nvr overly "desperate". She instinctively does things that touches n moves the ML.
The length of the drama was just great. Never draggy.
The acting may not be the most perfect. Zhao Yi Qin was good at potrayal of Lan Tian Ye. He had the level of charisma without coming off pompous. He was cool without being cold or stiff. Li Jia Qi, this is her second work i've seen. I thought she was adorable in Meteor Garden as Xiao Yuo. Theres some sameness in her portrayal but while she might not be as versatile, she never came off as cringy or overact. ML and FL had believable chemistry and i think their acting was greatly helped by the story and directing.
For whatever reason you are hesitating to watch, hope this review gives you the push to start this drama.
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