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I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, walking into this drama, other than that it supposedly had an amazing bromance storyline. As a huge lover of all things "bromantic", I was intrigued by the prospect, enough so that I put aside my qualms about there being zero non-bro romance. And let me tell you, I am so glad that I did!
I don't typically watch high school dramas, and have never watched one that was so school-centric. 90% of the storyline involved the school, and while some of you may scoff that that was surprising to me, given that the title of the show is, in fact, School, I do wish that they had delved a little more outside of the school interactions. If only to break up the slightly repetitious storyline.
This drama wasn't meant to be marathoned, I don't think. When watching your 10th episode in a single sitting, it's glaringly obvious how many times they reuse some of the same plot points and how the only characters who are given room to grow are the categorized "misfits". The other characters, who should have been the normal bunch, never are given that chance. They stay catty and arrogant throughout, and while we are given so much motivation for why the criminal element of the show acts the way they do, characters who should have been regular students seemed far more sociopathic in their actions than a character who beat a guy til his leg broke.
If you are going into this strictly for the bromance, much like I did, then be prepared to wait. And wait. And then wait just a little bit more. It took a really long time before it got to the bromance I had anticipated from the beginning. It was an arduous journey to get to that point, and I think even calling it a bromance might be a tad misleading. It runs deeper than that. It's two boys who only ever had each other and how one mistake utterly destroys them, and the story of School is how they tenuously try to pick up the pieces.
The brilliance of this show does lie in the growth, however unfairly they distribute it. If a show can take you from absolutely loathing a character in the beginning to really, really wanting them to succeed in life then you know it's doing something right. And despite it's flaws, School 2013 was brilliant in showcasing the shades of gray and how the way you look at and treat other people doesn't define them as much as it defines what kind of person you are.
All in all, this drama is well worth the time and I defy anyone to watch it and not seriously fall in love with Go Nam Soon. Never has there been a more seemingly-apathetic character who could make you feel so many different things. I promise, give this drama a shot, and you won't be disappointed!
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The description might confuse you into thinking that this is a romance drama blend in with the adultery concept. Sadly, for me, this was not what i was expecting. This wasn't a romance drama, it wasn't even an adultery drama. On the contrary it was heavily based on the inner relationships between the hierarcy of a company. The drama centers on a woman, Hye Won, and her complicated life and personality. The drama's main concept is how the protagonist, being unhappy due to her life decisions without even her realising it, rises above it all with the help of a charming young piano student.
The drama talks about life decisions. I can link to a saying we have in my country that i can roughly translate as "If you don't look at where you want to go, you will go where you look". Which means that if you don't set your goals straight from the beginning, no matter what you real want you will end up with what you settle with.
The show was never about the romance it was about seeing her grow as a person to realise what she really wants out of her life. This is why i have mixed feelings about this. I expected something different but, while i am dissapointed, the drama presented something completely unique and even though it was troublesome to digest and understand, i'm happy i gave it a try.
The main reason people -me included- found this boring is because of the difficult, tedious conversations about job policies and schemes of the characters. We were dropped in the middle of a war zone from the first episode, we could barely understand anything and things didn't get any clearer as the drama proceeded. Tedious, boring, vague, incomprehensable dialogs that only increasingly confused me. But, that was the actual prettyness of the whole drama. The fact that it was complicated, with unrelatable characters that you can't help but hate and in the middle there is Hye Won, a strong yet vulnerable, troubled woman, who makes the wrong choices but around so many hateful characters she becames relateable instantly and sways you.
Apart from the company drama that takes the main lead here, music is the next most significant part of this drama. The music is overall exquisite. The romance itself is being expressed solely through music, and that is another reason most people -including me- found the romance unfulfilling. You'll probably need to have music knowledge to properly understand the emotional messages delivered through music or at least have a keen ear to appreciate them.
Honorable mention to the cinematography. I'm not a fan of cinematography but here it was truly marvelous. It was gritty, dark and elegant, and suited the overall feel of the drama completely.
The acting was overall top notch, no complains, but the performance that is memorable is Kim Hee Ae's. The whole drama is on her, it's hers. The other characters serve as fillers just to help her rise and grow. Kim Hee Ae's aura was great for this drama, elegant, graceful, aristocratic even without losing her confused, sensitive even defenceless, at parts, self. Yoo Ah In's performance was also great and their chemistry was strong, noone can deny that even with the 20 year difference. However his character felt again as a filler, and wasn't given the appropriate screen time to gain some kind of value on his own.
Overall, this was a difficult watch. I wouldn't rewatch this, but i can understand why some people would. It's a drama that is aimed at a special few and those few will love it. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who doesn't like exclusively character driven shows, long conversations about company politics, schemes but not the juisy type, and slow plot pace.
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Cute Binge-able Show With Good Acting, Non- Annoying FL, & Some Action
My headline pretty much says all I want to say.This is my first time writing a review of any show, so please, bear with me…
I binge-watched this one night/morning, and enjoyed it a lot. The plot line is interesting, and I wanted to know what happened next. But it is pretty predictable, which is not a bad thing, just in case you like or dislike such plots.
What really made me stay and that I loved were two things:
1. The Female Lead
PLEASE, goodness to gracious me. This girl is it. She’s smart, confident, and doesn’t go around whimpering and whining to everyone in sight.
2. The Acting + Chemistry
The acting actually surprised me. I wasn’t expecting bad, but I wasn’t expecting the quality that I got. It got me searching up the actor’s to see what other work they’ve done.
Esp. Wen Mo Yan.
I was shocked when I saw that not only is she 32 (jaw drops) she also only made her acting debut in 2021.
I am looking forward to what I may see from her in the years yet to come.
For Wang Zu Yi, for the most part, I think he acted quite naturally.
I am also looking forward to what he might partake in, in the future.
Chemistry~
Now, if you’re looking for a spicy chemistry, not for you.
But cute, some fluff, perhaps? It’s sweet, and not stiff!
I am not really one to rewatch (but there are specific ones that I will) so I really won’t rewatch this, and I have no desire to.
Now then,
I must bid my leave.
Farewell ^_^
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This review may contain spoilers
More Kim So Hyun Please
The story follows Kim So Hyun as Princess Pyeong Gang. First, Kim So Hyun was phenomenal in her role. I can't say enough good things about her performance. This also goes for her character which was so incredibly interesting. Princess Pyeong Gang is everything that I could want out of a character. She is very capable as a fighter, and she has emotional depth. She also is willing to do whatever it takes to protect her family and country, even at the cost of herself. This leads her to come across as very authentic.This brings me to one of the best parts of the story and where this series is somewhat unique. Pyeong Gang has agency. In so many of these stories with a strong FL, the story undermines her by having her saved and/or protected by the ML. Here, the FL gets herself out of trouble when needed, and that is so refreshing to have character consistency.
The ML is also a good character. He does undergo a somewhat unbelievable powerup, but he never fully outshines the FL. He also doesn't have her cunning and ruthlessness. He's more of a traditional hero, which provided a nice balance to their characters.
Several other characters play a major role, and all of them are interesting. The antagonists all have believable motivations that raise the stakes and makes the protagonist's journey all the more intriguing.
The ending was one area that I think was too easy. I won't spoil anything, but I think that it was a missed opportunity.
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This review may contain spoilers
Quite nice to watch...
As typical of Sukfilm they try to tell a short story with a very limited budget and this time I think they did quite well. Yes, we are all sick of the same places, but at least the "bar" has now background noises to make the scene more believable. I really really wish, they would have friends in the community to help them out for locations to vary the settings a bit.This time the story did not contain a bitchy woman and without cringe which was a bliss and the story is just straighforward and kept more real without forced drama. Of course it's cute and has fluffy moments. The acting was good. The only negative I can say is in the finale where, a) the scene with the mom should have been played out and b) the scene of the sister finding out who the lover of her brother is should have been skipped, because it was unnecessary. But all in all, they did nothing wrong (this time).
So if you have not seen it yet, it's about a 65minutes filler and you could have seen worse. 🤣
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"Our Song" is a program filled with positive energy, full of laughter, joy and emotions. There is no episode that would not be dripping with jokes and good humor. The new arrangements of sometimes very old songs are so great that although I haven't had much in common with Chinese music so far, now I am full of delight for older and younger songs. "Ousr Song" has opened a whole new world for me and has become the most enjoyable adventure of recent years. The viewer will meet people with wonderful personalities and a great sense of humor, full of love for music and respect for others.
Not without reason, "Our Song" is China's best and most popular music program in 2019. The group of its international fans is also growing: D
If you have a bad day, any troubles or worries, "Our Song" will be an excellent remedy for them. A radiant smile is guaranteed!
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Her Love Boils Bathwater sets itself to be a sentimental family drama. But Ryota Nakano takes a more light-hearted approach. Instead of following a very dramatic ill-single-mother-making-her-time-worthwhile take (and it's very tempting to), he doesn't. Instead, he rallies his great cast to launch the story foreword.
And that's the film's greatest strength—its cast. Hana Sugisaki won Best Supporting Actress for her role and she proves once again that she's one of Japan's most promising young actresses perhaps taking on the footsteps of the chameleon actor, Fumi Nikaido (a personal bias).
Perhaps being Japan's entry to the Best Foreign Film list is a little bit of a stretch since the film is simplistic but heartfelt, strengthened by its cast. Its little moments and character interactions are its charm. Nakano doesn't patronize these characters—he shows them as flawed ones and as imperfect beings but what's great is how that all plays out.
The cinematography is stunning, paired with lukewarm colors yet vivid. The score truly embraces the scenes. Yes, I cried.
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Okay, but Not Incredible
There have been worse, there have been better. I feel like that sums up the story.Overall, the story isn't bad. The cinematography is nice and JoongDunk do have nice chemistry with each other. Other than that, nothing to write home about. It wasn't overtly unique, but it was a decent watch.
I didn't regret watching it, but I think I would like to see how these MLs do with a more mature script. Maybe it's because the college/high school arc is getting old, but I'd love to see Thai dramas in general move forward out of the school era.
Overall: Decent watch, but not life-altering.
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The chemistry is insane♥️
I binge watched this drama in two days. It was filled with powerdynamics,romance, revenge,seduction and sweet sweet love between two child hood sweethearts who don’t know each other’s true identities when they reunite. FL is stunningly beautiful and stubborn,equal in her deadliness to her soulmate,our alluring and dark killer of a hero. Such a badass power couple!Was this review helpful to you?
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A perfect ending
Not much write the perfect ending like this one.This special episode dedicate to tell the ending for Ji Xing & Han Ting. How they steer the relationship in married life. How they end up having kids & a little glimpse about their children. And really the ending of their life...
Short word. Some closer that sometimes some drama actually needed. And I'm really happy I can watch this special episode...
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The bromance is great with great suspense plot and backstories with ample disturbing content but naturally because it's TV it's not quite as gory but it's definitely dark and twisted.
And it's just so gripping! You won't be able to stop till you've finished.
I really liked the way the character arcs came together but the best part for me was the way they were always there for each other even when they've all suffered traumatic events. Just a great storyline overall.
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When in the mood for fluff and not much else
I’ll admit, I’m a little late to the party with this one. I kept putting it off after seeing so many negative reviews, but after some time, I finally decided to sit down and give it a try. Honestly, I went into it expecting to have to force myself through each episode, but surprisingly, I found it to be a pretty easy watch. In fact, I ended up binge-watching the entire series in a single day—something I didn’t expect at all.Sure, there are definitely some plot holes, and there were moments where I wished they had explained things more clearly or focused on certain aspects a little longer. There were also a few storylines that could have used a bit more depth or attention. However, despite these flaws, I found myself enjoying it more than I anticipated. The drama is light, cute, and genuinely heartwarming. It’s the kind of feel-good story that, while not perfect, still manages to deliver a solid dose of warmth and charm.
One of the best parts of the show was the friend group dynamic. They were so endearing, and their interactions brought a lot of joy to the story. I loved seeing their friendships evolve and the moments of lightheartedness they shared. As for the acting, the supporting cast didn’t always hit the mark—there were some performances that felt a bit flat or overdone at times. But, on the bright side, the chemistry between the main leads, Englot, was undeniable. Their connection really carried the show and kept me invested in the plot, even when other parts were a little weaker.
All in all, while the drama wasn’t perfect, it definitely hit the spot when it comes to being a cute and easy watch. If I’m ever in the mood for a lighthearted drama to lift my spirits, I could definitely see myself rewatching this one. It’s far from groundbreaking, but it’s enjoyable, fun, and full of heart—perfect for those days when you just need something sweet and uplifting.
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This review may contain spoilers
A short healing episode...
MDL put a page for the special episode here... so I watched that nearly a month ago... What I noticed, it was a rushed production, because they had a lot of Sasaengs following them and they nearly did not film this at all. This is a nice healing episode which heals both of them.It seems they had problems getting a free location, so they had tourists looking at them while filming, but I'm happy enough, that they at least finished this short episode. So at least it feels more real with people gawking at them, because oh my god, two men are kissing on the beach! 🤣
This is a nice finale, so if you have watched the series, you should not skip it.
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An amazing but simple movie that now lives in my head rent-free
This movie's summary sounded really bare but the trailer looked good and it was offered at a film festival so I decided to check it out. It was a damn good and I'm kind of obsessed with it right now! The story is about a high school student who witnesses a younger student being brutally bullied by her classmates and decides to step in, admittedly out of a hero complex. One of the most kindest MLs I've seen so far, he is so kind and sweet to her and they get closer... and then the story goes into some dark places but I won't spoil it, since it builds to a really romantic, heartwarming conclusion imo.The story wasn't groundbreaking or special, I'll be first to admit, all the weird little quirkiness aside, but it was still engaging and resonated with me. It was quite deep and heartfelt - it showed how even in the darkness of this world and human behaviour, there are still good people out here who commit to being someone's light. The acting was top-notch, especially on Ishii Anna's part. I didn't really notice the music that much but it wasn't bad.
Overall, an enjoyable movie, perhaps even one of my favourite out of all the Japanese movies I seen so far and I'll probably rewatch it in the future whenever it is available.
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Poly & Ace Representation!
Overall: Though there are areas they could improve on, I'm giving this a 9 because it has poly and ace representation which is rare. I really wish this was a whole series and we were able to see how their relationship started and what happens after this short film because 18 minutes was definitely not long enough. Also, the filmmaker received $638 USD to make this film as part of a Matchbox competition and I'm extra impressed with that budget. Purchased for $3.88 USD and watched on Vimeo.Content Warnings: none
What I Liked:
- they did give some information about asexuality, especially Minho's conversation with his friend (though the acting seemed a bit wooden there)
- I liked the times that they had good communication*
- the reference to Long Time No See (it was the movie that they were watching, I've watched it so many times I recognized it just by the sound lol)
- production value is good considering they had almost no budget
Room For Improvement:
- I didn't really like that quote at the beginning which makes it seem that polyamory is almost here. It's here and it's been here since the dawn of time.
- it was an odd way to start. I don't like when people take pictures of sleeping people and I wasn't sure how the two knew each other.
- *on the couch at the beginning, do the other two not know what Minho likes/dislikes/boundaries??? Why haven't they had conversations about this? Also, that conversation in the bar seemed odd. Wouldn't the two of them discussed it beforehand? (though I did like the follow up conversation they had later).
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