Completed
American Hustle Life
10 people found this review helpful
Oct 18, 2017
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
One of the funniest, cringiest and heart-warming series that BTS did! If you're an ARMY, you need to watch this!

You'll fall in love with all of the members once again, laugh at their quirky personalities and amazing English skills. It is essentially a story of their success, hardships and a way to the whole western music world. By the way, these are some of the most iconic memes and jokes of BTS that are jumbled into 8 episodes. so if you're staning any member, you NEED to watch this. My favorite thing was the interaction between the group members and the American artists. You can really spot the cultural differences and how 2 separate cultures can merge into 1. As much as every episode was enjoyable and totally amazing, in my opinion, this show needs a season 2!

An entertaining series worth the watch that will put a smile on your face!

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Completed
Love Keeps Going
9 people found this review helpful
Nov 4, 2012
13 of 13 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
The impulse to watch 'Love Keeps Going' just because Mike He starred in it paid off quite well. I found this drama very different from a lot of other rom coms that I have been watching till now. I never expected to love a Taiwanese drama as much as I loved this one! I loved it for a variety of reasons and that is the reason for the good rating of 8. I have a lot to say about this drama so if you're okay with reading a long review, then go ahead.

Let's start off with the story. At first, it seems like another cliched nice girl-bad boy falling for each other story. To say briefly- this is the real story. Yet, so different and likable. This drama dared to used heavy cliches but twisted and turned them in such a way that it was hard to get bored. One aspect I loved was that both leads- Yi Lei and Mei Le were characters with real depth. Generally, the romantic comedies tend to have shallow characters and their behaviour is hard to contemplate. Here, the guy and girl are both damaged in their ways and they always give us the reason for their behaviour. And the excuse doesn't seem silly. It is actually believable.

The main girl seems too perfect and boring at the beginning of the show, but after she meets Yi Lei her flaws start showing. And on the first few encounters Yi Lei seems predictable and the typical bad boy who never changes. But eventually he starts softening up because of Mei Le. I think this is the first time in any drama that I have understood why a super rich, super handsome guy fell for an ordinary girl. Mei Le is really unique and a hard worker. She strives to do her best in every thing and gives it her all. Because of this, she also manages to win over Yi Lei. Both characters manage to break the image that they first created as the story progresses. Also, I love how they both bring out a different side of each other. When they are together I felt like they were an actual couple! The depiction was so realistic.

As for the secondary characters- Yi Feng is, and remains an idiot (till the end) who cheats on Mei Le and goes for an insufferable girl like Xuan Xuan. I actually empathized a bit with Xuan Xuan at the beginning but after that I wanted to yank off her stupid woolen hats. She was very annoying. Then there are the brother and sister of the main couple who very cute together. Again- the first time when the second love story was equally likable. There was also the mother of Yi Lei who was a completely nasty and horrendous. I hated her the most. The actress also overacted and her angry expressions were almost comical.

Now- the relationship between Yi Lei and Mei Le. Where do I start? I love, love, love their relationship together. Here, instead of the girl the guy falls for her first. He managed to completely win me over by the second or third episode. Mike He in the role was an added advantage because of his good looks. I won't say he is the best actor in the world and he definitely overacted at times- but he was so cute! Especially the actions of Yi Lei and what he felt for Mei Le was FANTASTIC. I also love how the story gives them time and the perfect opportunities for them to get to know each other before falling in love. I had some issues with Mei Le denying her feelings, but she confesses the reason for her behaviour too and I felt like it was forgivable. Cyndi Wang is an amazing actress because she managed to make a naive, clueless, pushover sort of a girl into some one who was easy to like. And this is a record where I was hardly annoyed with the main girl.

Plus, the chemistry between Mike He and Cyndi Wang was too good. When they kiss or hug, it ends up giving you a warm feeling. I really loved how they were able to understand each other completely. You can really compare the relationship Mei Le had with Yi Feng and the one she has with Yi Lei. I was almost wishing like I could be in their fairytalesque story too. Both characters have their shortcomings and they way they manage to make it work irrespective of that is amazing. My shipper heart was happy all the way upto episode 10.

Now, the last 4-5 episodes were kind of lacking in romance. I wasn't too thrilled with the reappearances of Xuan Xuan and Yan Shao. The sister-pretension plot was silly, but it managed to be an alright plot device to drive the main couple apart. Plus here there was another more of a sensible situation than a dumb ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend breaking up the couple. I have seen enough rom coms to know that separation is always inevitable. It happens here too. But it is amazing that the story managed to remain interesting enough to watch even after driving them apart. I had a few issues with the last episode because every one was crying so- I suggest you skip the depressing parts.

I don't know why every one complained about the ending. Okay, they didn't show Mike He but I actually liked how they concluded it. Plus, it was a happy one so what's there to complain? Rom coms never have perfect endings either.

So, all in all- it is one of the many romantic comedies, part-melodrama. Yet, I think it was different and definitely more enjoyable than the ones I have been watching till now. It has ended and I feel like I parted with a friend. I am happy giving this drama a try and it definitely goes in my favourites' list. Highly recommended!

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Completed
Kamo, Kyoto e Iku.
10 people found this review helpful
Dec 16, 2013
11 of 11 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
Ever heard of "ryokan?" Chances are you've at least seen one, even if your only encounters with Japan come through anime and drama. These are traditional Japanese-style inns, the ones with tatami flooring, fusuma (sliding doors), and wooden ofuro (well, bathtubs). Workers sport happi or kimono, while customers might wear yukata. Rings a bell right? Usually, when characters frequent an onsen, they're staying at just such a place.

Kamo, Kyoto e Iku (Kamo Goes to Kyoto) belongs to an unusual subset of dramas. While a plot exists and the story is passably well-told, everything ends up feeling rather educational. We see the beautiful city of Kyoto, complete with its landmarks and various traditions. We see how the ryokan is run, right down to maid etiquette, ofuro cleaning, and the composition of kaiseki (traditional Japanese cuisine, a staple of these establishments). This aspect is much stronger than the script itself, though even that remains enjoyable if somewhat simple. And if you like themes of modernity vs. tradition, you may discover another layer of appeal.

Should you actively seek out knock-out performances, continue your search; this drama will not offer them. However, nobody does a poor job either; most characters are pleasant and, at the very least, reasonably acted. Matsushima Nao might be most memorable, headlining as Ueba Kamo: seasoned finance official and Kyoto anti-fan (she even hates her name, originating from the famous river which runs through that city). Her elitist portrayal is believable, as it is when she switches gears. The exploits of this character lead us through the events of the drama, and the operations of the ryokan itself. Though she also has a cute side, mostly shown through her morning exercise routine.

Music follows a similar tack as acting. Everything is suitable and works in most scenes, but very little stands out. However, Sheena Ringo provides the striking vocal theme ("Iroha ni hoheto" or "Even Blossoming Flowers") definitely worth listening to again.

I would mostly recommend this drama to Kyoto-lovers, or those seeking cultural enrichment. Coming into this drama for other reasons might lead to a lukewarm experience. Don't be discouraged though! Kamo, Kyoto e Iku might have a lot to offer potential viewers of any kind.

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Completed
Triage
10 people found this review helpful
by Aaku
May 31, 2022
13 of 13 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

With each loop, it gets better!!

The time loop continues every time Tol dies and so does their story right from the very beginning. When I first watched the series I didn't have much expectations from it but damn it I was hooked from the very first episodes. It's just so good from the storyline to the cast, everything... like every single thing. The first time I read the synopsis of Triage I thought it would have a lot of loopholes and it does have a few but very minimal that it can be easily ignored. It's a very interesting story. It keeps getting better with every episode. The characters are well portrayed and it such a fascinating watch plus a unique genre in the BL world. And my god Tae and Tee make it so much more better. It feels so good to see them together again in a series. Moreover Sing and Gap are adorable. It's definitely a must watch.

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Completed
The Blue Whisper: Part 1
10 people found this review helpful
Jun 3, 2022
22 of 22 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Out of this world excellence.

Impressive is the level of thought that went into this storyline captivating viewers as it touched on so many emotional levels that one found themselves immersed as the tale unfolded alternately cheering, laughing, or crying at the depth of the portrayal; no easy feat for a fantasy. The artistry is unparalleled; no expense was spared. The cast, both main and supporting, outdid themselves in bringing their characters to life in both a believable and relatable fashion. Kudos to Ren Jia Lun and Dilraba Dilmurat especially; their acting skills and leadership qualities are superb. Thank you all for your dedication to your craft in presenting a memorable performance. This is one drama you will watch over and over again.

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Completed
The Girl on a Bulldozer
10 people found this review helpful
Jun 11, 2022
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 7.0

bulldozer girl

The title “The Girl on a Bulldozer” is one that generates a fair bit of curiosity regarding the feature’s content. Who is this girl and what is she doing on a bulldozer? The poster, which depicts a petite girl driving a massive bulldozer as loose soil clouds around it, hints at a possibly gritty, slightly action-y content. In his Busan Film Festival welcome message, director Park Ri-woong mentions that this is a revenge story, heightening expectations even further. Having seen the finished product now, I can safely say that this is one of the most wrongly marketed films this year. This is in no way a negative remark on the actual quality of the production, and to be completely fair, it does eventually deliver what it promises, but Park Ri-woong’s debut is more than a standard gritty thriller.

Go into “The Girl on a Bulldozer” expecting a gritty crime thriller and one is most likely to be disappointed. Yes, there are bulldozers, but the girl gets on one for a grand total of two times in the 113 minutes of its runtime. The grit as seen in the promotional poster is practically non-existent. Sure, the revenge as mentioned by the director in his welcome message is exacted, but it doesn’t happen until the final few minutes. Despite all of that, this narrative works first and foremost as an excellent character study. It of course helps that the events around her are fairly engaging to keep the story progressing, but Hae-young is such a well-written character that it is fascinating to see her go on her own internal journey as much as it is to see her try and solve this mystery. There is a lot of angst with her, towards authority, family, society and life in general.

Slowly, as the layers of her story are peeled, this anger converts into pain, a pain that is coming from taking on so much and going against so many at such a young age with so much stacked against her. The feature’s title too works in more than one ways. Besides the obvious, Hae-young is figuratively also going through life on a bulldozer, razing much in her wake. Her anger gets the better of her in most situations, affecting relationships. Her bullish ways and thoughtless actions often land her in irrevocable problems. Even her ultimate action, her revenge if you will, is a cry of desperation, born out of a helplessness to think up much else.

Such a complex character would’ve failed in less competent hands but in Kim Hye-yoon’s, it becomes highly compelling. She may be only four films old and this is her first leading role and thus the meatiest, but Kim brings much maturity to her performance. Despite Hae-young’s vulgarity spitting, tough exterior and fist fighting ways, Hye-yoon manages to play her very delicately, bringing this briefly evident naivety that flashes across her face now and then. This is further enchanting to watch when her anger changes, when she knows she may be way in over her head and when she finally lets it briefly break her. That particular moment is a tender one, shared with her young co-star. The adults around her are effectively cast, but it is ultimately Kim Hye-yoon’s performance that looms large over the feature and the one that lingers back in minds.

The cinematography stays true to the production’s indie roots and the sparsely used music has a few moments of impressiveness, but “The Girl on a Bulldozer” proves an effective debut from Park Ri-woong, thanks to a very well-written character and a compelling and constantly progressing story, all of which is anchored by a superb lead performance from Kim Hye-yoon. Both she and director Park are names to be on the lookout for..

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Completed
When We Were Young
10 people found this review helpful
Aug 5, 2021
24 of 24 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

MY MOST FAV ML EVER!!

Uhh writing this with my tears still falling out, the ending is very beautiful and honestly the best as I think forced romance in their current stage of life indeed feel unrealistic.. but it doesn't mean i dont want to curse the director for not including some fluffy epilouges! Well guess they save it for season 2 but honestly if they dont use the same casts then I really not enthusiastic to wacth it. The drama beautiful for the story and strong chemistry between actors and their brilliant characters potrayal so it will make a big different if use different people for it..

By the way though i like all chara but the carry of this show definitely the ML! Uh let just say how happy im that the ML is not the usual cold straight A guy, but the guy that seem very second lead-ish.. as he is cheerful, positive sunshine boy that very street smart and gifted genius. Honestly all this time usually my fav ML is type of badboyish, sarcasm but very sweet inside person, but for the first time my heart just melted away by the kind hearted guy.. Well, Hua Biao not naively kind or anything but between their gank of friend he is maybe the most unfortunate, well everyone have their own problem but if compared with ML's its heartwrenching that all his friend's problems seem to be your normal spoiled teenager drama, but ML had to shoulder sickly eldery who is your only family that you have, financial problem etc so he is extremly sensible and responsible person .. But the most amazing thing is despite his circumstances how optimistic, cheerful, confident, kind hearted, hardworking in life and study but he is not pretentious at all.. in fact he is flexible as he can be cunning or break some rule when needed too, very loyal with his friends.. His way of loving a girl is not become territorial but become her best support, protecting her and keep encouraging her even though actually her problems seem very childish compared with his mountain of problems.. His smile is medicine for anything as it never falter and always shine brighly.. So his emotial breakdown is really tear jerking, i really crying hard for ML and grandma scenes.. Hua Biao, let me hug you okay 😭😭
I can go on and on about Hua Biao, he is just very beautiful person ah.. In real life we met many people, and understand that human is not perfect, and some time the imperfectness just ugly, sometime its just make a person.. normal. But between those many people you sometime found one or two person, that is like a shining diamond between river stones.. Hua Biao is such diamond if he really come to my life.. The actor really did amazing job too, his aura and emotional potrayal just so poignant and spot on. So if there is season two please please just please for the same actor juseyo..

FL is quite a dumb head at first, she come from very different family circumstances from ML, so she is spoiled and childish, and made some blunder where what she think as harmless pranks actually can give serious consequences toward ML, though ML never blame her.. I think I can get where ML come from. When you are experienced life's bitterness that shredded many of your naivety, then FL's carefree and innocent childish either make you envy or want to protect such blank paper from being stained, I think the ML is both, how much he envy his friends with their parents around to cheer or trashing your exam result, maybe so much.. so it really show how amazing his self control is to never shout at his friend when they were throwing childish tantrum "Can you stop your sh*t?! At least you have parent, i dont!" LoL
Btw FL step by step become more sensible in the end, so does second ML.. honestly though i dont ship Yan Xi and Li Yu but this is one of painful thing depicted in the drama that when you grown up, you had to let go of many things, Two people that grow up joined in the hips, practically faced everything together, and even some feeling had to involved.. in the end, you had to accept it .. that you grow distant and separated.. (Thankfully Li Yu is in another drama where he and his childhood sweetheart have HE romance there)
Aaaah this cant do! I need season two because really need the mature version of Hua Biao and Yanxi finally in mature relationship, Yanxi and Liyu become friend again, Yan Zhao and He Mei, Huang Deng Deng and Situ Ertao.... their family too.. And more and more my sweet sweet sweet Hua Biao!!

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Completed
The Wand Warrior
10 people found this review helpful
Oct 26, 2021
18 of 18 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
I will try to remain as unbiased as I possibly can because this lakorn just entered my Top 10 favourite Action!

Y’all know the drill, negatives first which for me was FL. Whilst she wasn’t completely useless, she had knowledge and apparently knowledge is power. I just wish that physically, she wasn’t so weak and needing to be rescued every single time.

STORY
I had absolutely no idea what I was walking into when I started this but I knew there was Magic which I’m a huge fan of - clean not Black Magic. This is possibly the highest level of Power Struggle I have ever encountered, even more than Laila Thida Yak (last Action lakorn I watched).

ACTING/CAST
I wanted to watch this solely for the Action and I’m happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed. ML is one of the strongest I’ve seen in all the year I’ve been watching dramas in general with no signs of weakening as the story progressed so his definitely my favourite. I think together the characters worked really well and the actors made their characters their own.

MUSIC
I mostly remember the opening song since I heard sooo many times, even during the episode so it’s stuck in my head but there is one other song they played that I also enjoyed.

REWATCH VALUE
If you enjoy it as much as me I’d say yes, but if not then obviously not lol.

Whilst there is Romance here, this lakorn is almost pure Action so if you’re thinking of watching this for the romance you may be disappointed. The Romance is so little you may not even notice it but if you’re a fan of Action then this may be right up your street. As I pretty much enjoyed this all the way, I can’t say if this dragged or not so I’m not really qualified to comment on that. I do hope Thailand come out with more lakorns like this one.

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Completed
Cheer Up!
10 people found this review helpful
by rachel
Jun 14, 2016
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 6.5
Rewatch Value 5.5
I went into this show hearing many praises about it. I didn’t go in looking forward to watching cheerleading which the show was apparently supposed to be centred on. But I was eager to watch it hearing much praise about it from non-Korean K-drama fans.

The story isn’t dissimilar to most high school K-dramas. But the amazing thing about K-dramas is their ability to take the same storyline and types of characters, and present them in just a slightly different way to audiences. There’s definitely a lot of cute in this show and generally makes for an enjoyable and light watch.

I can’t say Eunji didn’t do a good job in this show, as she seems to do in every drama she is in. But one thing that does disappoint me is that the character Yeon-doo does remind me of the other spunky female characters she’s played in her previous shows. I do hope she tries out other types of characters in her future projects.

I’ve not seen Lee Won Geun or Ji Soo in any major projects before this. I’ve only seen LWG in Moon Embracing the Sun but that was such a small role. These two are a revelation in this show! Their characters are quite different from each other, but they share a close friendship on the show. It really looked like they were having fun playing these characters. They both stole my heart in this show, so it’s hard to go any further without turning into a rabid fangirl, so all I’ll say is I’ll certainly be on the lookout for both these actors in their future projects.

Super props to Chae Soo Bin for playing what seemed like an absolutely irredeemable villain who went all out to ruin the lives of our protagonists, yet with an interesting backstory that still managed to pull at my heartstrings everytime. I just wanted to give her chance to redeem herself every time, no matter how many evil deeds she had done.

On a whole, the cast have great chemistry and make the show such fun to watch. Of course, there’s also the fact that it’s a high school drama and personally there’ll always be a place in my heart for high school dramas.

Another good thing about this show is it’s short at 12 episodes. The ending did feel slightly rushed and that’s a small stain on this show. Otherwise, highly recommended!

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Completed
Tantei Gakuen Q
10 people found this review helpful
Jan 15, 2012
11 of 11 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
Ooh, no reviews.

Story 8/10 - Spies! Kids! Spy kids! Yeah, the story is a good break from watching melodramas or rom coms. Don't be too disappointed if the cases aren't that hard to figure out since the detective team is made up of young kids but its fun. I felt like a mini Sherlock whenever I watched this drama ^^. I know the drama is supposed to have serious moments, but this is one where you should have fun with it and not be too concerned with the main storyline. If you immerse yourself in each episode and become a detective with the kids, time flies

Acting/Cast 8/10 - Shida Mirai! ^^ The entire cast is really young in this, so their acting isn't as developed as older actors/actresses. But Shida Mirai is extremely cute in drama, adding her own style of quirkyness in each episode and shining when there are serious moments.

Music 6/10 - Jdrama OST's never really hit me, but the suspenseful music during murders help set the mood.

Rewatch 5/10 - Once was good enough. If you're able to solve all the cases without being shown the culprit, good job! You're on your way to becoming Sherlock Holmes~

Overall 8/10 - A fun and quirky drama mixed in with serious and mysterious cases. Watch an episode or two whenever you wish to take a breather from those serious melodramas and kick back while you watch 5 kids run around and solve mysteries

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Completed
Pachinko
10 people found this review helpful
May 23, 2022
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Beautiful cinematography and excellent acting - but slow at times with many timeline switches

Completed - 5/22/2022 - 8.25 rating

I have not read the book, so I am going into this not really knowing what the story is about. "Pachinko" tells the stories of the hardships endured by commoners from the 1920s to the 1940s in Korea and Japan. We saw our characters struggled to make a living or to have a decent meal during times of turmoil and war. A big part of the drama also depicts lives as second-class citizens when you left your home country and lived abroad - whether you moved to or returned from Korea, Japan or the United States.

Each episode is like a movie. You can see Apple pours a decent amount of money into this production. The cinematography, sets, costumes, props, houses/venues, scenes of a natural disaster - all look realistic and are shot beautifully. The background music complements the scenes, but I actually don't recall any song played in this drama. I might have just forget at it took me a long time to finish this drama.

For an 8-episode season, "Pachinko" has a large and amazing cast. This is the first time I've seen Kim Min Ha (young Kim Sun Ja). I would not say she's beautiful, but she fits the role of a tough and smart Sun Ja really well. There are many close-ups of her in this drama, and you can see all her micro expressions. Veteran actress, Young Yuh Jung plays the grandma version of Sun Ja, and of course did an amazing job as well. Coming into this, I only know Lee Min Ho, and he didn't disappoint. He's dashing and seductive in his white suit. A whole ep. 7 was dedicated to his character and to showcase his acting chops. I don't think I've ever seen him so dirty and disheveled in any other drama. I am also introduced to Jin Ha, who played Solomon. What an interesting character. Does he really speak fluent Korean, Japanese and English?? The most beloved character is probably Pastor Baek Yi Sah, played by Steven Noh. He's such a sweetheart, so gentle and caring.

The drama spans many decades and also switches back and forth between different timelines. It could be disorienting at times, as the timeline switches happen quite frequently. The pacing in the first couple episodes are a little slower. The drama takes time in introducing us to different characters from all timelines.

I heard there will be a few more seasons of "Pachinko" and will focus on other characters in the novel. However, I don't feel closure of the stories told in season 1. I would not say the drama ends on a cliffhanger but maybe a somewhat open ending? Maybe the stories of these characters will be continued in season 2?

p.s. Took me about a month to finish watching this drama, not because the drama is boring... just life circumstances. Therefore, I feel that this review might not be as well-written or as coherent.

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Completed
Triple - Do You Want?
10 people found this review helpful
Jun 13, 2021
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

Are there differences?

I love how natural it felt watching as the friendly teasing turned into actual flirting. With every couple one person was a bit more shy than the other but they were both curious to figure out if the other actually meant it when they said they were being serious about wanting to kiss each other. Despite every couple acting out the same scene there were subtle differences, which I really enjoyed since to me it reflects how scenes like this might be in reality.

The girls seemed close, best friends maybe considering they wear matching rings. Both seemed a bit shy, at first, uncertain where things were heading. The the guy in the second scene seemed flustered when the girl suddenly turned his joke around and clearly refused to let it go, even going as far as asking whether he actually meant it. The third scene had a slightly different undertone to it, there was a mild if probably not entirely serious threat of violence as a first reaction when the teasing tone between the two male friends turned into much more than just joking around. Though, it was clear all six people clearly wanted this kiss to happen - here I'm really happy everyone actually made sure to ask for consent, to make sure they were on the same page.

To me, these subtle similarities show that even though all the pairings/couples share the same names (Jimin and Soo Hyun respectively) there is still a difference in how people with different genders might act when first confronted with the idea of kissing someone (especially if it's someone with the same or opposite gender). With the two guys there was a hint of fear in both guy's way of behavior, showing they were both trying to backpedal so as not to be seen as the 'weird one', an undertone which I also slightly got from the two girls. Both non-straight couples seemed to portray the silent question how others would react to them kissing, so each of them had to make sure the other person was being serious, was not just messing with them as some kind of cruel joke - I might have been thinking way too much about it in the last couple of minutes but I think the person portraying the character of Jimin in all three scenes is much less experienced than the one portraying Soo Hyun. And yet the latter already seems to have a slight crush on the other as well, showing it by teasing and yet being also unsure whether their feelings are actually requited.

The uncertainty and yet the constant push-and-pull until each person had their clear answer was beautifully portrayed and as someone who happens to be part of the LGBTQIA+ community that felt a bit too real at times (of course, especially with the first and third couple in this short film): Testing the waters but not being ready to jump in, ready to deny everything once questioned just to save a friendship, yeah, that felt a lot like past experiences.


I enjoyed this short film very much - while at first I thought it would be three different scenariosit turned out all three couples went through the same scenario. Altogether it felt like having a quick glance at three different parallel universes because after all there is no real difference between the couples. They are nervous, excited and yet they communicate their intentions clearly.

Altogether I think this short film shows that despite everything love is love, no matter one's own gender or that of the person you like or want to be with. After all, we're all human.

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Completed
Every You, Every me (Director's Cut.)
10 people found this review helpful
Nov 29, 2024
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 4
Overall 9.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

Not a reincarnation story.

I was expecting a reincarnation story but instead it's several stories using the same actors.

Story 1

It took me a moment understand the fantasy element and if I understood correctly in this universe rain makes the world black and white except for your soulmate. It was very cute pretty much the same story as La pluie but told better, this one actually makes sense and doesn't break it's own rules. It's got It's silly moments Like when they can't reach Sun his friend immediately asumes he's fighting with his boyfriend It's weird I would've liked a but more backstory too, there's an Asexual or aromantic carachter here and it would've been nice to see more of that.It's not perfect but very good nonetheless.

Story 2

Is so much cuter than 1 I mean first is soooo adorable I can't with him! These two actors have very good chemistry and I love that this time around their personalities are switched it's so much better than to have them play basically the same carachter every time also the supportive grandma she's the best! I liked it so much better than the first one and I'm excited for the rest.

Story 3

I thought wasn't going to like it at first because X seemed a bit creepy but once they met I started to like it more and more. By Namping's actions I was able to guess what was going to happen and man I am so mad I was right, even knowing what was coming it didn't make it hurt any less, despite the pain I keep loving these short stories more and more each time.

Story 4

I have less and less to say each time, aside from the ugly hair extensions getting uglier than the previous ones there's not much to complain about. Sian is hilarious I fell for him just as fast or maybe faster than Blue did.

Story 5

The one that brings everything together although I didn't like this one as much, it's still a great series overall.

I may be a masochist but, X Namping is the best of all stories, I would actually love to see an extended version of it. I had never seen these two actors before and I'm very impressed with their acting I'll be looking forward to more of their projects in the future.

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Completed
Burning Ice
10 people found this review helpful
by labcat
Mar 28, 2021
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.5
This review may contain spoilers

Solid story, riveting throughout

I got to know about this series as I was looking at some of the Light On Series installments. Burning Ice has a sequel in Light On Series: The Long Night though Burning Ice isn't one of the Light On Series installments.

It's not often that we get a crime thriller with a solid story, excellent storytelling and nuanced characterization while also being thought-provoking. The gradual moral degeneration of Guo Yu, a lawyer who unwittingly gets embroiled in criminal activities is one of the best elements in this series. He can be naive, he can be devoted in love, he can be cowardly, he can be callous. Dai Xu brings the character to life, making Guo Yu both a person we can empathize with and a villain we condemn.

The suspense regarding the layers of truth beneath the serial killer dubbed Snowman is also maintained very well. We get to learn about the identity of Snowman early on, but even as we know more, the mystery deepens. Everything comes together very well eventually, and there isn't an implausible twist or unconvincing criminal motivation to mar the story.

In comparison to the sequel (a different story except for the character Yan Liang, the policeman), perhaps Burning Ice has a less exciting story. But it more than makes up for it with very compelling and interesting characters (who suit the story). My opinion is that The Long Night has an even more compelling plot, but most of the characters are not developed with the sort of nuance that we see in Burning Ice.

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Completed
Hayami-san to Yobareru Hi
9 people found this review helpful
Mar 30, 2012
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
STORY - The plot of the drama is quite simple: it shows how Yuriko integrates herself into the lives of her husband's family and moves forward with her own marriage. Nothing too groundbreaking or exciting. Yet, the characters were lovable, with all their struggles and flaws, and that is what made me keep watching. To see how they would grow and overcome.

ACTING - Matsushita Nao was charming as usual.In fact, if her character, Yuriko, was portrayed by another actress, I wonder how much I would have enjoyed her role. Matsushita always manages to give off this wholesome and sweet vibe when she acts. And she was absolutely adorable with Inocchi (V6) as the main couple. The rest of the cast were quite good as well and portrayed their characters well. I would have loved it if the drama had gone deeper into the lives of the 4 brothers.

MUSIC - I really loved the ending credits song, Kono Sekai ni Umareta Wake by FUNKY MONKEY BABY.

Overall, Hayami-san to Yobareru Hi is a heartwarming family drama that really draws you into the lives of the Hayami family.

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