The story is absolutely brilliant. The fact that this happened in reality and that there are still thousands of people suffering from this disease is truly saddening and heartbreaking. I can the portrayal of a person's disability in it was 100% accurate. It was so realistic that I felt like it was actually happening in front of me. The main cast gave outstanding performances- especially Sawajiri Erika. She was so convincing that I felt her pain.
Apt to its title, this drama could make you cry a lot- depending on you. I am going to confess that there were a few times I absolutely teared up. In fact, I think not tearing up while watching this would be inhumane. Anybody who is capable of feeling sorry for the physically disabled or people suffering from painful diseases will be able to feel it here too. Aya (both the fictional and real one) is a very inspiring person. The things she recorded in her diary is deep and moving.
The way they showed the transformation of an ordinary girl's life after she encounters Spinocerebellar Atrophy was the main focus of the drama. More than her struggle, it was also focused on how it affects those around her- be it friends, parents, siblings, teachers or regular people you meet on the street. It makes me think of all the physically disabled people I have seen in public. I think I can understand their feelings more clearly now.
This drama is almost like a documentary made on Aya's life. Neither is it happy to begin with nor does it end happily. But the sadness and tears aren't the only things in it. Most of all- it will remind you to treasure life and be thankful for what you have. There's a deeper underlying meaning to it too. It also showcases the kindness and cruelty of humans and their attitude towards such people. In a lot of countries, people are still not aware of hardships such people have to go through and treat them badly. Just like Aya said, "Why did it choose me?" The matter of falling ill was not by choice but only cruel fate.
This drama is one of the rare gems that you should definitely not miss out on. Watching it once was enough for me, so no rewatch value where I am concerned.
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Yun-Fat Chow does an amazing job of inviting you in to his character while keeping a cool and aloof distance. Li Gong does well as the Empress, but the rest of the cast is unmemorable.
In a nutshell: Visually appealing if you like bright, ornate visuals, but may be too flashy for some. The story is melodramatic which can sometimes be boring.
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This review may contain spoilers
Beautiful story
Great historical drama and beautiful story. Great cast and wonderful cinematography. Loved the ending too! Highly recommend this drama. Full of surprises and emotional scenes. The music fit perfectly and added to the scenes just right. Loved how their friendships lasted through the years and everyone found their paths in life.Was this review helpful to you?
It's a real pity, because I absolutely loved virtually everything else about this drama (though my hatred for Park Si Yeon's acting/the character in general probably contributed to my immense love for the rest of the drama, as I was too busy hating on her to really criticize anything else).
This is one of my favourite romcoms ever, in any language. It's got comedy and it's got romance, and it does both very well. I spent the first few episodes laughing my head off- this drama actually does a pretty good job of finding comical situations that haven't been reused five bajillion times in other dramas and movies.
What really made My Girl for me, though, were the two lead actors. Lee Da Hae and Lee Dong Wook both have a fantastic sense of comic timing (just wait until the hospital scene where Gong Chan/LDW freaks out), and they're both so expressive and have such diverse facial expressions that they can make an already funny scene even funnier. They're amazing at comedy, and really, just amazing actors, period. Even when the drama starts turning more serious and high-stakes, they're able to deliver comedic, serious, sweet, touching, and tearful moments as required, often going rapidly back and forth between the funny and the serious. Together, they're even better. They play off of each other incredibly well, and their chemistry, too, is one of the things that really made this drama what it is. I'd say that their chemistry rivals that of many often-praised kdrama couples: think the sizzling sexual tension from Secret Garden, mixed with the overwhelming cuteness of My Princess, and you have Seol Gong Chan and Joo Yoo Rin in My Girl.
On the subject of Joo Yoo Rin: Lee Da Hae truly shines in this drama. I seriously cannot believe that neither her nor Lee Dong Wook got awards for their acting in this drama, while the awful Park Si Yeon did. Lee Da Hae is brilliant as the quirky, over-the-top, scheming yet loveable Yoo Rin. She makes me laugh and cry here with ease, and she seems to have fleshed out this character completely- Joo Yoo Rin is so realistic she might as well be real, and I really couldn't imagine any other actress in this part.
In regards to the rest of the cast: Lee Jun Ki acts the part of Seo Jung Woo quite well; I just think that it was never a hugely well written character to begin with. Yoo Rin's friends and father didn't stick out that much to me, but I loved Gong Chan's family, and together, they really did present the image of a realistic, slightly weird but loving, oddly knit together family unit. And... then there's Park Si Yeon, who is consistently awful. Kim Seo Hyun is a badly written character, and Park Si Yeon is a bad actor. She has all of approximately three facial expressions, the most common of these being the disdainful/contemptuous/annoyed/sarcastic snort that she does every five seconds, and in the later episodes, that really made me start to want to slap her in the face and skip ahead every time she appeared on screen.
The writing... well, it IS a Hong Sisters drama, but in my opinion, actually one of their best. My Girl has all of their wit and humour, awesome story and romance, and quirky yet loveable characters, but doesn't exhibit some of the flaws that are often associted with HS dramas- for example, weak endings(the ending of My Girl is actually pretty up there, as far as kdramas go). It's faced-paced, well-plotted, and thoroughly addictive.
The music (both the score and the OST) fit the drama perfectly, and as usual for a Hong Sisters drama, the music is excellent, and played at more or less all the right moments. Though it might not make my personal playlist as some drama OSTs do, My Girl's score is outstanding and the OST is a great match for the drama.
Overall, this is a hilarious drama, well worth watching. Basically, my main complaint with this drama is the shallow, poorly written second female lead (a common feature of Hong Sisters dramas/kdramas in general, unfortunately- think You're Beautiful, just for starters), and the poor acting with which said poorly written character was executed. Aside from this, I loved My Girl, and Lee Dong Wook and Lee Da Hae alone make this worth watching again and again.
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Neko is the only reason I don't regret watching this series.
Most GL series either have good, satisfactory, or poor production values. But in my opinion, Roller Coaster excels in the production aspects. It’s not just about the cinematography, but also good visual storytelling and seamless editing. Kantana Post really lives up to its reputation. I also like the well-balanced ambient sound and good audio mixing, which most series usually don't pay close attention to. The only technical thing I’m not a fan of is the driving scenes VFX. I wish they could do the actual car tracking shot to give more emotional depth to the scenes as most of the scenes look floating and distracted.In the acting department, Pundao and Shelly, being newcomers, did okay, and there’s still room for improvement in the future. Pundao still needs a lot of practice, as her dialogue delivery sounds pretty rigid. But I personally think Neko deserved a standing ovation for her performance as Air. She ate and left no crumbs. She nailed every action and emotion so effectively, especially with her expressive eyes, whether it's happy or heavy scenes. She really brings nuance to this series with her performance alone—no fan service, no hype. NEKO NAERUNCHARA LERTPRASERT... SHE'S PURE TALENT. #TeamAir. Without her, this series would certainly feels bland. I think Neko is the one doing most of the heavy lifting but getting less recognition. And Roller Coaster is one of very few GL series with a good male character we can root for.
Now the storylines/plots. I've read the book and there were some chapters and parts that I don't quite like, especially with the 'harmless flirting' that’s pretty much predictable that it will lead somewhere. Whether it's morally right or wrong, let's leave the argument for another space and time. But in the series, while I still dislike those parts and there’s something about the changes that put me off a bit, the plots flow at a nice pace until the end. Pacharawan Chaipuwarat's script manages to bring the book to life, but with some changes that did not quite impress me. And I’m never one to care about NC scenes and the hype, and I believe those scenes or the execution don't define the quality of a series, so it won’t even affect my rating one bit.
Honestly, this series really surprised me by how well it's been made, plus a good main OST, but still not up to 'the best' or 'outstanding' just yet for me to rate it higher. It feels good soaking in the great visuals and production quality; I would give a 9 for production quality alone, but that’s not the case here. Overall, while it’s a well-produced GL series, it's still lacking in some areas.
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I love movies with symbolism, and this movie fed my hunger for it wholly and the most satisfying way...
It's been 20 minutes I have finished watching it, and my eyes still see and my ears still hear the main character playing the piano, be it during the duel, or with one hand, or two pianos at the same time...
There are scenes in the movie that just refuse to leave my head... The bicycle turning back after being asked to ride slower, childish games between the two leads, their piano duet, the apples, the nature... and music, music, music...
Half of the movie was a love triangle, and I was loving it, then BOOM! it turns out a whole another story...and I'm still marveling it.
I was praying during the last moments of the movie, I was honestly praying...
The effects of the movie and the sudden changes in music left me breathless, absolutely beautiful movie...
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amazing lovestory within a typical Lakron
Being a Thai drama watcher the most interesting thing about lakron is, that it begins with a crazy overdramatic plot, raising the tension so high that, I can't resist but binge it. But the only thing that I don’t like about lakrons is the toxicity in the relationship between ML and FL. And this drama is exactly my type, besides an enticing plot, it serves a beautiful love story.●SIMPLE ADVICE
-if anyone doesn't like the revenge trope lakron, please watch something else. there are lots of other dramas without this topic. stop watching what you don't like and rant about it.
●PLOT VIEW
The synopsis gives a clear hint of a typical lakron as Ingjan is forced to marry Sichon to clear off her debt. While he married her in order to take revenge. Well, Sichon's idea is to make her fall in love and hurt, and the relationship between IngJan and Sichon develops gingerly. the bickering of the duo is pleasant, whether in the bedroom or vineyard. At first, it might seem annoying (with one forced kiss in the beginning), but we get to see a warm love story where IngJan helps out and Sichon also takes her suggestion. They both were smart and perfect solving problems at the same time hot and sassy sharing explosive chemistry.
The past storyline of Tuscany is well developed and I loved how it was revealed in bits to maintain the curiosity of the viewers, that what actually happened.
Also, There are 5 evils wanting to split the duo creating a whole lot of confusion but making the plot very interesting, gripping, and full of action one woman Mekhla has a secret and is more dangerous than any other evils. Thip is Ex of sichon, these women fight but they aren’t bitchy. They show off their plans and mind games than using the ugly slap and back sequence. Also, there are a stepmom, stepbrother, and village chief are another set of pain and negativity in the whole drama.
●ACTING/CAST
Whoever did the casting deserves an appraisal to take in BigM and Hana as the leads
-BigM as Sichon, he is smart, clever, caring moreover loving. He loves IngJan to the core showing his loverboy and sexy sides. he was always full of charm and a good person caring about the workers and villagers. He never missed any opportunities to kiss her or hug her. They kiss passionately and it makes me want to repeat and rewatch. It made their relationship look realistic, as they were newly married but took time to understand each other.
-Hana Lewis as IngJan, is beautiful and charming like a rose petal, portrays a strong and decisive person, who never gives up but adjusts to time and situations. she took time to know Sichon better as a person, and also her feelings because it was a forced marriage. Her chemistry with the male lead was very great, Indeed the kissing sequence was so amazing to watch.
-Anisa as Mekhla, portrays a woman with a secret. She seems evil with her body language and I also got terrified watching her in dark scenes. She acted very well. Her secret reveal was well done
-Ploy as Thip seemed crazy at times but shows that she is a victim of her own bad choices. I have seen her before and she did well too
-Sasimorn, Sichons aunt is one beautiful character. I just loved her for her straightforward dialogues and good nature. She always tries to pull Sichon and Ingjan together.
-Fifa as Jomphop was a good friend and worker. I liked how he manages to maintain the peace in the vineyard and keep Tungpaeng aways
-Ching ching as Tungpaeng is one cute character who is oblivious of her father's evils. But she always stands on the side of goodness and does good deeds. People like her make this world a better place.
●MUSIC
I really liked the closing track. It's sung by the lead actor BigM himself. The tone and melody is soul touching.
The only thing I didn’t like about BGM is that it got sudden changes may be due to commercial breaks as we binge it, so it feels rather weird how it changes.
●REWATCH
Yes, I would rewatch this, It was entertaining and had epic romantic scenes for me to rewatch.
●FAV SCENE
Opening bedroom scene in Ep 8. I love how they bicker and fight. They are forced to stay together but the chemistry we see is full of charm and romance.
●APPRECIATION
I love the wardrobe of IngJan, especially the nightwear. They were elegant and cute, no wonder she looked tempting that Sichon can't resist.
●RECOMMENDATION
-Anyone who loves a typical lakron can watch JAO SAO JUM LOEY.
-If you are a first-time Thai drama watcher but want a mild dose of lakron, you can watch this.
●AFTERTHOUGHT
Although this lakron has a typical story but shows great chemistry of leads in a warm way. ML may seem vengeful but he is a loverboy IMO who was hurt. its a good drama that is entertaining with excellent leads characters and good secondary characters.
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Its a rich woman who is really anal( up tight and strict). She goes on many blind dates which always turn out to be a mess so she hires this poor guy as her personal love trainer. At first I loved the guy and how cheery innocent and nice he was. He is also a wonderful cook and has a hot girl friend.
Now here is the downfall. The characters just become total asses. I didn't mind how the girl changed as it wasn't too bad, but what I hated most and had to drop the drama was because I was raging the whole time after the main male mc just becomes a total dick. He starts cheating and treats his gf like trash no joke fcking hate him !!!!!!
I am so angry with this drama because it ruined my favorite type with a rich girl poor guy romance.
If you have the same taste as my I suggest watching
Snow queen and Take care of the young lady and couple or trouble rather than this sht
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This review may contain spoilers
A DISAPPOINTMENT IN KOREANS MANWHA'S AND NOVELS
Just like what this guys said that I found in one of the reviews "This movie has changed and disrespected the original source material to the point where it's completely unrecognizable, from the little details to the overall messages and symbolism that ORV tried to convey, everything had been completely butchered. As an adaptation, it fails in every aspect. As a movie, the cinematography is amateurish, the script sounds AI generated, the CGI is a joke, and some actors with major supporting roles are just completely sidelined for no particular reason; it's underwhelming, to say the least.This isn't a matter of an "accurate adaptation" anymore. This is setting a precedence for future adaptations to completely mess up a beloved story by removing all the aspects that make it good in the first place. ORV isn't loved because it's a generic male power fantasy, it's loved because the story subverts this. By stripping away everything to adhere to the general audience's expectations, there won't be anything left to love. There is genuinely so many things wrong with this movie from the erasure of Korean history to even misogyny (which wouldn't be noticed if viewers don't know the original story).
ORV is a love letter for its readers, but this movie spat on it, tore it with a paper shredder, stomped on it repeatedly, burned it, and threw the ashes into the ocean."
Honestly it would also be a DISAPPOINTMENT to us reader of manwha's and novels, what even is the whole point of making the la - live adaptation, on this manwha. If their gonna change the whole purpose or plot of the story they should've just changed the title too. SOME OF US WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS LA AND WAS HOPING THIS WAS GONNA HIT IN ONE OF THE AWARDS, ALL OF US DO. BUT YOU GUYS HAVE CREATED A GARBAGE INSTEAD OF A MASTERPIECE. ITS JUST DISRESPECTFUL TO US READER'S.
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If you are sensitive don't watch, this is heavy.
A mix of feelings and thoughts passing through our mind everyday, i mean if you are off this community. I think this movie is the real point of view of a lot of our lives, It's a film that needs a warning because it deals with a lot of senstives things. The actors are great , the soundtrack good too, the story It's sensitive, they are all good because it reflects with perfection what real young couples are going through in real life. Don't watch if you are passing by a hard moment. It's a beautiful sad history.Was this review helpful to you?
The story is great and it makes this drama amazing. I was taken by the idea from the beginning. I love some romance but it's always good to have little plots to make the drama come alive and this had it all from court to family drama. I appreciated the age gape too because I think it made their relationship more dramatic and I've seen age gapes done greatly in some of my favorite dramas (Dal Ja's Spring and Biscuit Teacher Star Candy). The cases they had were very interesting too and I loved how the writer connected everything down to characters and situations together. It was like a big spider web to me.
I was very impressed with Lee Jong Suk. This is the first drama I've seen him in and I know I'll be watching School 2013 after this. I thought his acting was amazing in this drama. He conveyed a lot of emotions in all of his scenes and I thought he was perfect match for Lee Bo Young. The chemistry between these twos are amazing! I so brought their love for each other. The chemistry between the cast is great as well too. Jang Hye Sung is such an awesome character. She has to be one of my favorite female lead characters now. I love how snotty and witty she was and her attitude about certain situations. I think she is a very relate-able character. I loved all the characters, even secondary characters too. The characters are well fleshed out.
To add on, the best thing about this show is the character development. All the characters are developed towards the end in there own way. Even Min Joon Kook had character development and I loved it.
There is only one TINY problem that I had with the drama and that is the extension. It was very noticeable that the drama was extended when it reached episode 17. There was so many flashbacks scenes in that episode that it took up the first half of it. But it's only tiny so it might not be that noticeable to some. It still didn't take away from how great I think this drama is.
Overall, I think this drama is amazing and definitely will be added on to my favorites list. It's downright hilarious sometimes and has great chemistry between all the leads. You have great secondary characters and you overall have a great story. I definitely see myself watching this drama in a couple of months.
PS, I think I said "loved" a least twenty times in this review so it must count for something :)
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Kim dokja's love for twof would compete with this crap
I don't want to waste my time on it much so im gonna cut it short. Don't know who write this incredibly wrong scenario but dude, hell no. Dont ever try again. Like...you didn't even try? Its hella different than the novel, even our man dokja is different. He wouldn't like this version of himself. Im afraid he would even start a campaing to cancel this horrendous thing. Why call it live action when there is nothing alike with the original? Bro, i don't know what do we have to like or enjoy about it. Maybe the fact that the names didn't change...i appreciate that, beaches. I don't want this motherfather thing mingy associate with orv. Have some respect to the novel, characther, their personality, important traits and more importantly the readers. Nobody wanted this thing but almost everbody hating it. All of the consellations are dissapointed. I hope and pray with my all being for star stream to delete this weirdo movie's existence as if it never happened. Instead of watching, go read the masterpiece movie. And for our already f-up mental health, don't mention it to readers. Thank you. My english is nowhere near good so have some mercy. Thanks again.Was this review helpful to you?
I would say that this K-drama is way beyond my expectation. From acting, to cinematography, music scoring and drama plot, it's like I'm watching a well-made (super) long movie. The lead actor was able to play his role well- he could smoothly shift from being cocky to I-mean-business acting. This, combined with the sweet-bad-ass acting of the lead actress, makes the drama more interesting. Even their lines/dialogue (translated in English sub of course) have depths and will surely capture a viewer's emotion.
Two thumbs up for this k-drama-- for bringing out message of courage and love.
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I loved & enjoyed History of Salaryman and the fact that the same writers did The Incarnation of Money,it made me want to watch it. Thanks to many good reviews,this drama completely captured me. Talk about how the story is executed,mostly it has revenge element embedded, tragic life story of the main lead is a must.(If you're a fan of melo,revenge,heartbreaking drama you should watch this) From the start, You WILL ALWAYS find yourself take a pity on our lead guy here which is Lee Cha Don and hate to the core to our main villain,Ji Se Gwang.Ohh, only God knows how much I hate that JSG b****rd. Everytime he appeared,I feel like punching my lappy screen but I could'nt coz my lappy is my baby :P That Park Sang Min guy really did an awesome job as a villain in most of his drama,he got that face lol. I hate him in Scandal too. I think I had enough of his wickedness. Can I have another villain plz..(-.=)
Don't expect too much romance in this because it was sooo little & not the main focus. I myself could'nt get enough of Lee Cha Don & Bok Jae In love story. It was somewhat lack in romance element but it's like when you see that parts, you'll love it because it's not a cliche romance story & that compensate everything.All to say about the cast,everyone did a great job in acting.I personally love Yang Goo Shik character. He's soooo freaking funny with his face and all :D
The OST was also excellent & very pleasant to hear. I found it very compatible with the story.
Don't bother with my rewatch value rate. It always lower for me because I don't usually rewatch everything I've watched.
Overally, I have enjoyed alot watching this ^^
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