This series continues to utilize it's format as a web drama very well, with excellent pacing and well put together episodes that manage to discuss and deal with difficult topics in a short period of time without leaving the viewer feeling wanting. It also manages to handle the complexities of the issues in a way that emphasizes how frustrating they can be while still putting forward a positive message.
This season dealt with issues in the workplace, a good continuation from the first season, and also managed to capture the difficult nuances of workplace harassment, the complicated nature of reporting problems, and the very real issue that is the lack of support and belief in the workplace. It also demonstrated the importance of women supporting women, particularly female mentors and superiors, and the role of male peers supporting women. One message I especially liked was that you do not have to forgive someone who harasses you, especially someone who doesn't actually apologize.
"Let's try our best and become happy together."
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An Irresistible Blend of Laughter and Love
"Hilarious Family" is a slapstick drama characterized by its exaggerated expressions and actions. Despite this, the comedy remains relatable, with natural and genuinely hilarious jokes. Each character is distinctly unique, realistically portrayed, endearing, and undergoes well-developed growth. The deliberately exaggerated acting, though, is both convincing and playful. At its core, the story follows a widow who raises her four daughters by selling tofu. Now that the daughters are grown, the widow is focused on finding suitable husbands for them, providing a satirical commentary on societal norms that still resonate in today's world.The story introduces multiple romantic couples, each with their own amusing yet heartwarming stories. The music dances with a whimsical charm, amplifying the actions and emotions of both the events and the characters.
Du Ruyu (Liu Lin) adores all of her daughters equally, though there are moments when it may seem like she favors the eldest and overlooks the second. This, as it turns out, is a misunderstanding. Her strong sense of pride and concern for social image often lead to comedic mishaps. Her own romantic subplot adds a sweet and amusing touch to the story.
The eldest daughter, Chun Jinrong (Han Yunyun), at 29 years and 18 months, is fervently in pursuit of a husband. Her mother pulls out all the stops to assist her in this quest. Jinrong is the most refined among the daughters and invests the family's limited resources in clothing and accessories, all in the hopes of attracting a wealthy suitor. Initially appearing as a potential gold digger, as the story unfolds, we come to understand her motives and see her love for her family. Her escapades and encounters are hilarious.
Chun Peilan (Jackie Li), the second daughter, is a gentle and domestic individual. Her aspirations are centered around cooking, managing household chores, and caring for the family. While no one anticipates her finding love, she captures the heart of a very handsome man with dreams of becoming a valiant hero and a dashing sword fighter, but he couldn't use a sword.
The third daughter, Chun Banxia (Wu Jiayi), is a principled individual intolerant of any hint of wrongdoing. She is well-versed in the law and medicine, and assists her uncle in running a small clinic from home. The humorous exchanges she has with her mother underscore her sharp wit and determination.
Finally, the youngest daughter, Chun Keling (Li Jiaqi), is a spirited tomboy known for her youthful courage and impulsiveness. She enjoys venturing outside, often accompanied by a pair of friends, to confront bullies and teach them a lesson. Unbeknownst to her, a remarkably handsome young man falls in love with her for her distinctive qualities. However, not every girl dreams of marrying a prince, and Keling is no exception.
The final episode strikes a poignant and insightful note, yet the comedy continues, offering a delightful contrast. Lu Buping's hilarious kitchen scene and his comical daikon cutting leave deep impression. Chun Peilan originally requests the daikon to be diced into small cubes (丁), which is the true essence of cutting into "ding". Lu Buping, however, took a more literal approach, sculpting it into the shape of the character 丁("ding"). Despite its slapstick nature, I'm consistently impressed by the exceptional writing and acting on display.
My Verdict
Rowdy and constantly chaotic, this heartwarming story does away with traditional antagonists. Challenges faced by the characters often find resolution through serendipity. Every chaotic mishap can be traced back to a series of comically absurd misunderstandings. The romance is tender, endearing, and injected with humor. The dialogue is natural and witty, and the performances are praiseworthy. It's an easy-to-follow, enjoyable relaxation suitable for the entire family.
Recommended!
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Beautifully shot and quietly observed coming of age drama.
Kanto is an Ainu teenager living in a small tourist town of Japan’s northern Island, Hokkaido. Still struggling with his father's death one year prior, he's eager to leave behind the rural and isolated town he grew up in. When the village elder Debo tries to educate Kanto in Ainu traditions, two ways of living collide.The Ainu are an ethnic group indigenous to northern Japan. Through the film the viewer gets to experience several Ainu traditions such as dances, music, rituals and feasts. It also shows different generations struggling with their identity and doesn't shy away from social commentary. My favorite being the moment a tourist compliments Kanto's mother, a fellow Japanese, on her Japanese skills. The irony of that hits pretty hard.
Nature plays a huge part in the life of the Ainu, so it felt only natural that it was a big part of the movie as well.
It offers an abundance of gorgeous shots of deep, green forests, beautiful seashores and the rural town. The changing seasons as well as the long and calming shots give the movie an incredibly relaxing atmosphere.
This felt like taking a relaxing walk through a beautiful landscape.
With its documentary style, 'Ainu Mosir' quietly observes younger and older Ainu generations trying to find their place in our modern times. Never judging but simply exploring their day-to-day life. Paired with the convincing performances of the non-professional Ainu actors, this makes for a compelling, grounded and authentic watch.
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I kind of liked it? It wasn't extremely special in some kind but it is a really good lakorn in it's genre. These days the theme internet gets more and more attention in movies, series and books. And this lakorn was about it. Facebook, Instagram, Line and Tinder (!) were the means to get to know each other to communicate with each other. You could see yourself in the characters.
They were ordinary stories every could relate to one of them or more and the actors did a good job, as everything seemed really natural, they were just some students who felt lonely in this society.
The music was good for those pats that I listened to them, it didn't disturb the flow or was annoying (like in some tw & k-dramas).
You should watch it if you want more GMM, youth dramas, light fluffy dramas :D
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Huge potential, poor execution and disappointing ending
Let me preface this by saying this was one of my most anticipated dramas of 2021. From the trailer, it looked like we were finally getting a good sapphic love story with an actual, intriguing plot. I was so, so wrong.The story revolves around Beth and Cindy, an online couple with thousands of followers. They seem to be the perfect couple in their fans, the Umamis, eyes. But unbeknownst to others, every thing they post is a facade of what they want other to see, with one cheating and the other exploiting their relationship for likes/subscribers. When Beth finally snaps and demands they call it quits so she can move in with the person's she's been cheating with, Cindy reluctantly agrees. Right before they can announce their breakup, fate sends them a message that could change everything. They could earn millions — only if they can convince others they are head-over-heels in love, and therefore deserving of the cash prize in a relationship goals contest.
They only have to pretend for 10 days to achieve this. What could go wrong? A lot, as this drama properly showcased. What could've possibly gone right? A lot, as this drama didn't showcase at all.
This was one of the most toxic relationships I've seen in a series. There wasn't a single moment in the show where I wished they'd end up together. All I wanted to do was put them on opposite sides of the Earth and wish they never interacted with each other again. Cindy was extremely manipulative and never really expressed remorse for her actions. Making bad decisions without thinking was Beth's strong point, as she proved continuously over the span of 8 episodes. At the penultimate episode, there was a small glimmer of hope — maybe they were about to do right thing for once. But the ending completely crushed my hopes. It felt unsatisfying and abrupt. In a way, it also filled me with dread. Every lesson they had learnt was suddenly un-learnt. There was no point in this drama at all.
They tried to distract us from the weak plot and irritating characters with a dash of humour every now and then. Unfortunately, it didn't work. I didn't really notice the music in the show because I was too busy seething with rage. Rewatch value is 1.0 only because MDL doesn't allow a lower rating than that. I wouldn't touch this drama again with a 10-foot pole.
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If your here for romance, you get a few scenes but the majority is plotting, misunderstandings and poor choices.
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But let me tell you what's the most appealing about this show : firstly, the story begins with Shu's family, He shows us around how he is living with his older brother and parents, at first sight it seems to be a good home with lovely people, but something is wrong, cause he still does not know what is his place in society, as if his future is uncertain and still obscure and in some way I can totally relate to his character and that's probably the reason why I love him so much.
So with the help of friends, Kotomi and Keiko (who were his classmates) he will finally be able to find a purpose in life and the answers to his questions.
What I loved the most, is the strong bond between Shu, Kotomi and Keiko. They are from different world but it did not prevent them to enjoy life and having fun together. Okay, Shu is the only guy between two girls but he simply wants to share his happiness and daily issues with friends, it just happened that Kotomi and Keiko were asking the same questions as him and wanted to find happiness and see if there is a future waiting for them. Shu sees them as confidants and trusting persons with whom he can tell anything about life, family and work.
It was simply a pleasure for the eyes seeing them experience what is the true meaning of ''friendship'' and enjoying all these little moments of life.
I do really like Shu's family, his parents and brother are really funny and always putting him in some embarassing situations when his friends come and visit them. I loved how his parents are really open minded and let people coming to their house and discussing about anything freely ;)
I was also really surprised to see how the scriptwriter managed to deal with suicide, divorce and dismissals without making the story too heartbreaking. Of course I felt sad for the characters, as they have to cope with their own problems because nobody can do it in their stead but they never wallow in self-pity.
The music was great too and I always appreciate when Japanese insert some American songs in their shows, it makes it even better and ''California Dreaming'' was appropriate for Yume no C. as for the ending song I liked it too, it is a Japanese ballad style, like I love them.
To Sum it up, it was a great show about friendship, just a bit slow. I expected a lot from this one and I ended up to be a little bit disappointed because I found the first three eps to be really amazing and then I don't know why but the show lost some of its magic. So that's why I'm only giving it an 8 score.
PS: I was so happy to see Kudo Kankuro, crazy as always. Anyway ''craziness'' is his trademark and it is always a pleasure to see him in dramas too.
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This review may contain spoilers
I would definitely recommend this to anyone! This Chinese Variety show is basically a dating show whereby the people (contestants/contenders/competitors for&of love) live in the same house. By living together, they would obviously start interacting with one another. Everyone starts out by keeping a lookout on their love interests and then proceeds to the courting and etc. I don't wish to spoil so much... but I would give a tip of advice for those who are planning to watch this, there really are certain times where you would hate or dislike certain people (the contestants) in this show. At the same time, there is kinda like a panel of judges (they're all celebrities) and they give love advice or talk about a lot of topics concerning the idea of love and of relationships... It's quite fun honestly, watching them somewhat debate on various topics pertaining to love, makes someone like me, a hopeless romantic and also somewhat of a love expert feel envious because I ALSO WANT TO JOIN THE PANEL!!! Besides that, there's also free ice cream on every episode for the contestants living inside the house and the judges in the panel... damn it...
Also, in this season, there's actually a season 2 already, I'm currently watching it, the panel of judges have largely changed but the main three still remains to be the main hosts for the second season. Ok on to the main point, in this season, the contestants or contenders for love are actually ordinary-but-not-really-ordinary-people at the same time. You'll know once you start watching the show. But don't worry it's not scripted or anything. It's just that "majority" of the contenders are actually ELITES... or could be considered as they're all pretty successful on their own. By successful, I meant career-wise. Really, it's very exciting!!! It's like watching an actual idol drama but without the scripts and with a lot more realism to it as well as the subtlety (or maybe not) of a typical love story one might possibly experience in their time on this planet. And throughout this journey of watching this show, you'll get to have your ships sailed and on the way only to end in the Marianas Trench or whipped by a thunderstorm called the "third-party". With some being like the Titanic, it seems like sunken transportation with no hope of seeing the daylight... but no, no, no my dear people. If you remember carefully, even though physically, Jack didn't and Rose did. Jack went to heaven or nirvana or whatever place you believe a person goes to after their time on Earth. So technically they did move on and have a new life... What do I exactly mean by using this analogy or comparison, you might ask. Well, I'm basically giving you an overview or a sort of foreshadowing. I won't explain because it not only might ruin your fun in watching this show, it would also ruin my fun in making this somewhat suspenseful spoiler/review... idk honestly... but yeah!
I really hope more people would watch this!!! Great way to relieve the boredom as well as the thirst and itch for a bit of romance, especially for the hopeless romantics... lol
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A masterpiece on wheels.
Japanese have proven time and again how to make us emotional with their dramas. It's not that this drama is overly dramatic or anything, but you feel that the characters could be anyone you might know or even relate to you in a certain way.Madoromi Barmaid was a very pleasant surprise, because I wasn't expecting a drama about cocktails to be so heartwarming and have so much meaning. You can see some resemblance with Midnight Diner, as the story was more about people and their lives than it was about food. It's the same here. The cocktails just provide a backdrop for the stories to come alive, as people experience the joy that it is to drink a cocktail specially made for them.
Each episode features a unique character and their story. Most of the time, they have to overcome some problems that they might be facing in their lives, and by having a cocktail at Yuki's bar on wheels they will face their issues and feel better afterwards. The special cocktails made by Yuki are like therapy for these troubled souls. Episode 9, for instance, is one of my favorites and the perfect example of this cocktail therapy.
The girls are absolutely lovely, especially Yuki. Mai Kiryuu was perfectly cast for that role. She has this gentle aura that makes people feel at ease at her bar and talk to her. And who could forget their adorable pet piglet, Bamboo.
I also loved the music, especially the opening (SHE IS SUMMER - Bloom in the city). It's a warm and mellow song, which is a perfect match for the whole drama and what is about.
Finally, I just want to say that this is the first time I felt compelled to write a review for a Japanese drama after having watched about 400 of them. It's one of the loveliest dramas I've ever watched, and despite its name and premise, I hope more people who are on the fence about watching it to just don't hesitate and experience this wonderful drama.
I'm only rating it as a 10, because that's as high as it goes here.
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This review may contain spoilers
Mature show ... Love it
When i say "mature" i mean that the characters didnt act like children, arguing without listening and crying every minute. That can get old quick. There wasnt any of the normal "misunderstandings" that isnt cleared up until the end. There wasn't a rabbit chick after him, using every underhanded trick to get him. No mental breakdowns that caused a year(s) break up.The only complaint is that there shouldn't have been a second male lead. Poor thing was domed from the start.
This show is about a woman that meets a man. Man and woman has prior disagreement and dislikes each other. Their get together isnt realistic, but when they do, you can see that they can last. They are easy going and flows with it.
My favorite part of the show are the characters and how much they grow to trust one another. I especially like thst he isnt the greatest at everything. She laughs at him a lot and poke fun at him just like a real person would. Even the supporting roles were mature and realistic (maybe not the owner of the museum)
He doent save her from a robbery or a knife fight but he helps her to be able to join her two worlds and live comfortably. He comes with his own issues but i love how she show concerns without juding him. Her asking him to draw her is such a romantic part.
This show was better than expected. To think, I actually jumped it like 10xs. Im glad i finally watched it.
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A journey to become a better person.
A Fresh Start!I untangled the twisted knot.
I also took out the thorn.
Without lingering attachment or regret...
I straightened out my passion.
I let the twisted relationship go.
With a lighthearted feeling and a confident mindset...
I erased yesterday with the hope of tomorrow.
One of the strengths of this drama as it's name 'Poems' which also makes it different and unique from other dramas. It's a journey to become a better person which is represented and executed with touch of poems in very realistic way. This drama teaches us many things. 'Never judge book by it's cover' although you won't like many characters in the start but when you explore them and there backstories every character is realistic and likable. If you are finding just a typical rom com then it's not the place cause it's more than just romance...it's a warm hearting and feel good drama.
There isn't anything extraordinary or amazing in it but still it's definitely worth watching. Every episode every story has it's lesson, lesson of life sometimes even bitter truth. It was good, slow paced but I really enjoyed...
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It's a real movie.
It's not a movie where people get lucky or found true love in a blink of an eye or are very nice people without any flaws that get good things in the end. This is a real movie, about real life. About people who get lucky and unlucky, about people who are judged by society and about people who build love with love.
The story may sound cliche but it has a really unique point of view. It has a nice pace and it keeps you glued to the screen wondering what will happen next and how it will happen.
The acting is amazing! The way the characters are built, the way they interact with each other, with themselves and with society is really astonishing. Erika Sawajiri and Takayuki Yamada are really amazing.
The music is also good and touching. And I have to give 10 to the re-watch value because I have already re-watched it several times.
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Guinea Pig 3: Shudder! The Man Who Doesn't Die
7 people found this review helpful
Shudder! He Never Dies is one heck of a hilarious gory film. You didn’t read that wrong, gore films can also be penetrated by important amounts of humour especially if they’re Japanese. They always manage to insert dark humour into the bloodiest productions.
Unlike the previous two Guinea Pig’s films that skipped any attempt to create a plot and jumped to the gore itself. This one tried to build a little plot, okay maybe a tiny bit but it was somewhat meaningful. He Never Dies differentiate itself from all the other films of the Guinea Pig’s series because the main character was the one inducting pain to his own body. He realized that he’s an immortal so he can’t actually die no matter how hard he cuts his wrists, throat or any vital spot.
Having a funny take wasn’t meant to reduce the amount of gore in this film; it was actually reinforcing it with several brutal acts to one’s body. The depiction of gore was plain realistic even while showing the insides or the beheading. The special effects used for this part were pretty much convincing except some little details here and there.
As usual, the lack of a subtle plot forbids me from rating this any higher. As I said before, gore for the sake of gore don’t deserve any high appreciation from me even if this part and Flower of Flesh and Bones pleased me the most out of the whole series.
Watch if:
-You like extreme gore films.
-You like the Guinea Pig’s series.
-You like gore films mixed with dark humour.
Do not watch if:
-You can’t handle bloody sadist gore films.
Shudder! He Never Dies was absolutely the funniest part of the whole Guinea Pig’s series. But being humorous doesn’t mean it was light, the usual elements of sick gore films are still there.
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After this preamble, I'll tell you that this drama can be a challenge for many lol
The main protagonist has really a weak personality and that can be frustrating most of the time. But it's always nice seeing as a person can turn into a new leaf thanks to one's own effort and love.
As for the villain, he's really psycho lol, but still we shouldn't see everything as black and white. I'll let you be the judge of that.
Why don't you give it a shot?
That's it. Enjoy ^-^
P.S. sorry for any mistakes (English is not my first language)
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The show was originally slated for 80 or 85 episodes but ultimately ended with 73. This show is very funny and enjoyable and you get that each episode there is something to learn from it. And you feel like apart of the family, even though you are on the outside looking in. You get to know more about each character and watch as they better themselves. There is moments when you are so used to seeing a particular character, that when you don't see them you wonder where they are ad when you will see them again.
You will laugh, worry, gasp, smile, cry and wonder. As this drama takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotions. A kind of drama that will want you asking for more and wondering why not? Depending on how you take drama's in, you will either watch more then one a day, or end up going on a marathon then going omg it felt like yesterday i watched this episode when you are farther off from the beginning, and closer to the ending
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