The cast was absolutely beautiful. The characters were all portrayed well and the best thing was it wasn't just believable, but it actually felt real. I've laughed with these characters, cried with these characters, and even got pissed with these characters. It's an instant connection - Honestly I haven't met/talked to ONE person who isn't head over heels in love with this drama. What the actual heck are you doing with your life if you haven't watched this drama yet?
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Enemy-to-lovers story turns into a power struggle for the throne
This starts off as a lighthearted enemy-to-lovers story but turns into a power struggle for the throne story. It is very well constructed and the storyline keeps you interested all the way.Character wise:
I loved this strong and capable FL and this calm and collected ML. Well, I actually like all characters, except for the villains (as it should be).
Acting wise this is great and the characters are full-bodied and interesting.
So, if you are into a mostly lighthearted romantic comedy - with an interesting storyline - this is a “Must watch”.
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Since I am also an Asian, I could relate a lot to it. I read some opinions about people online who said that such problems regarding cultural things don't exist anymore. But I disagree. In fact, in a lot of Asian countries families don't exactly get thrilled if someone plans to marry a person from the West or any other country. This is exactly what is portrayed in this movie. The thoughts and reactions were absolutely perfect.
Both Saori and Tony have an excellent relationship in this film. The way they manage to work it out in spite of being different was amazing. Plus, their struggle to seek approval of their families and peer was also depicted nicely. When they had problems and insecurities, even that was very understandable. Although most of the movie revolves around these two people, it gives you a good feeling. There was hardly anything dramatic or tragic in this film. It manages to maintain its mood and pace until the end. There are a lot of cute and heartwarming moments throughout the entire film.
The events of the entire film are simple. I would say they did drag it out more than necessary (but that happens with most films). Since it was a semi-autobiographical manga originally, this movie also ended up feeling like a documentary. But I do not regret watching it. Plus, this is one of those movies to enjoy while relaxing and not thinking much. I loved the simplicity of the whole film. It is a must-watch!
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Felt like a state sanctioned anti-suicide infomercial
Ok. So I know the rating and review title might be confusing.This show has some great acting, the quality of production is fantastic. The music was great. Some of the stories were really interesting and it’s for the most part well-written.
HOWEVER, if I hadn’t been watching with someone else I would have dumped the show. It felt like I was being lectured about suicide but in a very strange way. Korea has a very high suicide rate and maybe that plays into it, but some of the message delivery was clunky and anyone with an ounce of common sense can throw the reasoning out of the window. Maybe they hoped to make people think again about giving life a chance, maybe scare them into carrying on. I dunno guys, it just fell flat.
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Entertaining But Melodramatic.
8 episodes total. Okay for one watch but it didn't engage me emotionally. It took me a couple of episodes to really get interested in the characters. It was melodramatic but in an entertaining way through ep 6 and then it slid into eye-rolling over-the-top-ness. Ep 8 is painfully cheesy and it cuts abruptly from one vignette to the next. Ex: jumping from watching a bad guy getting hurt & a brief blurb about it on the news to a romantic photoshoot with bubbles. It was a bizarre final episode and not very satisfying.The actors (leads and secondary characters) felt rather forced in their intensity at times but it kind of fits into this melodramatic world that the series created. The actor Film has an un-hinged psycho-smile that would be too much elsewhere but kind of fits his character here.
There's good sexual tension between the main leads for the first half of the series then it kind of fades away. Which I thought was a weird progression because at the beginning one of them is grieving the recent murder of a family member yet has easy smiles with the other lead. There's a decent amount of skinship but anything beyond that is almost always interrupted. And when there are kisses (2 total I think) it's a dead-fish kiss. They seem much more comfortable ogling each other than sharing breathing space.
I found myself invested in and rooting for the secondary couple. They were the closest to getting my emotions engaged.
Nothing noticeably good or distracting about cinematography and music.
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A Movie That Lost Its Spark
At first, this movie was quite interesting, but it quickly became boring, leaving me feeling empty. I ended up skip it. I love both actors, but I was really disappointed in this one. It feels like there’s a deeper message hidden in the film, but it didn’t come through clearly. The storyline had potential, but it just didn’t deliver. It was supposed to be sad, but I couldn’t even cry because it was so dull. The ending felt sudden I was like, 'Wait, it’s over?' I’m not going to recommend this movie, but if you still want to watch it, go ahead.Was this review helpful to you?
Not only was this a romance, but it was political, comical, emotional and was very war based. The writers of this could not have done a better job. The actors brought the entire drama right to life. I cried countless times during this, and not only because I was sad, but because I was so over happy too.
The story line, though very much like Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliette, in the sense that the families hate each other, but also a lot like the story of Tristan & Isolde (If anyone has heard of it). They are all based along the same lines, and I tell you they are all beautiful.
This drama was just outstanding! By far the best drama I have ever watched yet. I HIGHLY recommend it.
And my opinion is no way biased due to any of the actors in this drama. I had only known of one actress in this drama, before watching it, and it was Kim Yoo Bin (She plays Seung Yoo's niece, in which I did not know she was in it until I started watching it.
Anyways, watch it. If you love a lingering romance, action or politics, this is definitely a drama for you! You have my word!
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Story: The thing about "Aftermath" is that the premise sets up the drama like it's entirely about Dae Young's ability, when in reality that part only makes up about 50% of the actual drama. The show deals more with the aftermath *pun intended* of his ability's uses, and how it affects everyone around him. "Aftermath" also spends a fairly large chunk of its time on it's love story; which is cute and all but not exactly what I was expecting. I still adored this webdrama, though. It had an interesting blend of suspense and high-school life that felt a bit choppy, but worked overall.
Acting: Dongjun is one of the better idol actors, and I'm glad he got this opportunity to develop his acting skills. I think he has a lot of potential. Here, he was pretty good- not amazing, but better than expected. Kim Min Suk has always been adorable, Joo Ah Seon was nice and I can see her going places, and Kim Geun Hyung was brilliant. Seriously, he stole the show. I'm keeping my eyes out for him in the future.
Music: A lot of random Ze:A because, why not? Not that I'm complaining, of course. Other than that, there's a few ballads chucked in there because that's a drama staple.
Rewatch Value: Since this whole thing took a little more than two hours to watch, I'd say there's a decent chance at that.
Overall: Great story, good actors and really creative directing, "Aftermath" really took me by surprise. I really wasn't sure what I was expecting when I started, but I'm glad I did. 9/10.
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Perfectly watchable short form rom-com
This was not the easiest show to follow but it was a fun little watch.Zhang Xiaohua is a rookie spy who was given her first real mission and is pretty psyched about it. She needed to assassinate a traitor to the royal spy network/association that she's a low ranking member of. There's also money forgery stuff involved.
She maybe sort of succeeds but was held up and foiled by the ML, Luo He. He's a hot shot second in command of a group of bandits. He chases her and she only gets him off her back by saying, "while you were dealing with me, my target is dead!" But was she really?
Then Xiaohua is told that she needs to go integrate herself with the bandit group because they have a super secret list of spies and it'll be a huge problem if that list gets exposed. So now she's pulling out all the tricks trying to get Luo He to take her in. She's a pretty shoddy actress and he's not getting fooled so she settles on pretending he kidnapped her to fool his assistant instead.
She tries lots of unsuccessful things to try and find the list once she's there, including a very unsuccessful seduction of the bandit boss who has a jealous wife. Luo He takes lots of chances to flirtatiously try to get her to come clean about who she is and what she's trying to do.
It honestly kind of lost me and wasn't super interesting at this point. I found the actress grating in how she overacted the comedy and I was just not getting what anyone else's motivation was.
The first big twist/turning point (SPOILER):
Oh but wait! Luo He is actually a seasoned, higher ranking royal spy! They're actually on the same side, he's actually just been undercover this whole time and he wants the list too. But how can two spies trust each other?
(END SPOILER)
There's actually a few more twists after that, but the first one was when I started being more interested in the plot. The romance was cute. The comedy was pretty bad and felt pretty forced. But the twisty plot actually got more interesting, which was nice.
Unlike many shorts, it does have a Happy Ending and is totally wrapped up at the end. I didn't think any of the actors did a stellar job, but I think it was perfectly acceptable to tell what ended up being a somewhat interesting story with a cute romance. I also enjoyed the music.
Random favorite part: her messenger bird is a chicken.
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Your blues, my blues, Our Blues!
As honest and unpretentious as the title, this show is heartbreaking and heartwarming and can take viewers on a roller coaster ride of emotions. A brilliant anthology of slice-of-life stories told in the style of a novel divided into chapters, each one taking its time to dissect the relationships between the characters. It unpacks and explores the relationships between 14 main characters and yet it doesn't feel as crowded as it sounds giving respect and time for each story to spread its wings. The brilliance of the story was made possible by everyone's stellar acting, creative writing and the finesse of the director in assembling the whole show. The great cinematography almost goes unnoticed due to the amount of talent on display. There is something for everyone in the overall storyline. Highly recommended!Was this review helpful to you?
Welcome to the house of horrors
This drama is about Mio Meguro, who experiences an extremely bad turn in her life by being fired from her job, kicked out of her house, dumped by her boyfriend and harassed by debt collectors all at the same time. In the darkest moment of her life, she finds solace in a kind soul who offers her refuge in a quaint little traditional share house. But, not all is as it seems….As far as the usual J-Dorama eccentricity goes, this show is not even half as weird as most of the same genre. Although the premise centres around the “youkai” (mysterious creatures of Japanese myth and folklore), spiritual/ dark arts themes with (minimal) elements of horror, this is pretty much a light hearted, comedic and well-acted production.
Koshiba Fuka plays the FL, Mio Meguro and her performance fits the role to a tee. Much like her previous role in Tokusatsu Gagaga, she is adept at playing the shy, timid, soft spoken and unassuming character that makes you want to protect this poor unfortunate soul who gets trampled on by unscrupulous boyfriends, bosses, and basically all other bullies. In addition to the fragile wimpiness, she projects the perfect blend of dramatic acting and comedic timing, thus making her well-suited to such humorous roles.
The supporting cast of the various Youkai are equally fun and entertaining, with the fantastic monster makeup and get-up, which comes across as more adorable than terrifying, during the transformation segment of every episode. This motley crew comprises monsters from tales as old as time, with Oiwa-san, Shutendoji, Zaishikiwarashi, and Nurarihyon as the primary share house occupants. Guest appearances by their comrades in arms come in the form of Okiku, Yomotsushikome, Yamauba and Amabie. Witnessing each of them with their uniquely strange and awesome powers truly is hilarious and mind-blowing.
The OST is provided by Miwa (who guest stars as herself in the final episode) who composed the distinctive J-rock piece, Daitan (check out the MV, which was produced with a unique “Youkai” concept).
I was honestly caught by surprise at how entertaining this show was. The ending was astonishing but hugely satisfying as well. Youkai Sharehouse is a light and easy watch if you’re in the mood for some laughter and fun, with the added insight into traditional Japanese folklore and myth of how the Youkai came into being. Running at only 8 episodes, it won't take too much of your time to indulge and you'll be positively relishing every moment of it.
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Romance Drama Perfection!
Disclaimer first: I'm a huge Dylan Wang fan since MG2018, so some bias may occur.If you're a fan of the 'OMG when will they finally end up together and get over themselves??' - genre, this is the drama for you. The sweet taste of frustration when any of the characters does not speak their mind and/or heart, letting misunderstandings rise and being unnecessarily shy or insecure. It's horrible, but I love it. Especially when these shenanigans are being portrayed so perfectly as here. ALL 3 (or 4, if you count the boss lady and the uncle) have this trick down hard.
It's a drama like a one of those paperback romance novels. Including the hothothot kisses. I will for sure put this one high up on my re-watch list!!
This is the 3rd drama I've seen with Bai Lu and Dylan Wang as leads and I must say they are indeed a match made in heaven. Their chemistry is electric and they are so natural together. Bai Lu has great chemistry with more actors, but this pairing is exceptional.
Dylan Wang is getting better and better, but his best performance is still the 'Tsundere', the on the surface cold and distant man, but when thawed is a big bowl of charm.
This couple is playing the attract and reject game like pro's. I have been yelling at the screen at them en almost cried in frustration. They could have been married with kids in the first 10 eps, but instead choose to listen to horrible advise and their own huge inferiority complexes. Even a monk telling them they're meant to be doesn't help.
The 2nd couple is possibly even worse! 2 people very much in love but both thinking the other likes their freedom more than them and purposely misunderstanding or running away. Aarrrgghhh. I love it. It keeps me continuously entertained and invested.
Even though there's continuous drama, it never gets boring or bland. This is mostly due to the actors, who are so good at emoting and subtext. The best scene? For me the suduction sequence, where FL tries to get ML to sleep with her, but he has no clue, until he literally gets the message.
Does this drama have Red Flags? Ohhh yess. Many. Women as well as men. All of them have their own shade of red.
Does this drama have cliche's ? Almost nothing but. But that's also why it's so comforting and appealing to me. I really miss these kind of cliche's done well. Here they're done perfectly.
Is this drama for everyone? Probably not, but who cares? Give it a try!
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A Mixed Bag of Brilliance and Disappointment
I wanted to give 9 stars, but the ending of the last episode took this 9th star away... I've just finished watching and I really don't know what I feel now. It's just a mix of disappointment and sadness. Anyway, I've already watched so many brilliant dramas with a richly deserved 10, I cannot give it here even a 9. 对不起。The story is about – well, what do you know? So surprising! – the triumph of good over evil. But for me, the deeper meaning is you cannot judge someone from your first impression, cause you can be mistaken about this person. Those who look vicious can turn out quite good and the other way around.
The whole drama is very uneven. There are some great episodes and some boring ones, where the action's moving so slow I was fast-forwarding... The first episodes were not something I'd expected. The plot twisted at the 32nd episode, making the drama go on in an interesting way. But the ending was not as joyful as probably most of the viewers expected.
I highly appreciate the fighting scenes. Cheng Yi is still irreplaceable in acting out martial arts in the best way. Even when he was injured while filming, he continued. I take my hat off to him.
On the character front, my feelings are mixed. Liu Sui Feng is a character I ultimately could not understand. He had potential, but finally turned out to be a monotonous figure with only one expression. Similarly, the main hero, Xiao Qui Shui, wasn't very interesting or surprisingly acted for me. This was in stark contrast to his second brother, who pretended to be calm, protective, and lovely, but turned out to be... well, you'll see for yourself ;)
Ultimately, my absolute favourite is Li Chenzhou. There's something very mystic in his composure, calm demeanor, and deep voice. (And that white hair... ;)) What I loved most was that his profound love for his wife never needed grand confessions—you could simply feel it in his every action and silent gaze. It leaves you wondering about the man behind the mystery: just how many years of life and loss are hidden behind that timeless, dignified presence?
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Fun, casual show... until the last episode
I enjoyed this light show. The FL has no timeline, and the four MLs are "Mr. Time" who have no memory, and some kind of connection to her. The show goes through the steps of figuring out how she's connected to each of them.The FL actress was OK but not amazing... her role was quite tough and she didn't quite master it, but it was enjoyable. The four MLs were all quite good. As a cast, I was impressed about how they managed the various types of chemistry between FL and each of the four MLs -- each relationship is definitely different, and you can palpably feel it.
The level of mystery to untangle the connections was light (i.e. fairly predictable), but worked well enough.
I would have given this a higher mark for story except that the last episode totally destroyed it. The solved the Big Problem through a literary hack that is annoying pretty much anywhere you see it (not quite deus ex machina), and then didn't even take the 30 seconds that would have been needed to wrap it around and undo the annoyingness. This last episode isn't BAD in the sense of "don't watch this show coz you'll get angry," more SIGH... not that again...
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