I have never seen Shim Eun Kyeong in anything else, but I couldn't picture anyone better for this role. She was totally adorable as quirky, naive and genious Na Il. I know not everyone is a Joo won fan, but I love him. He has played a variety of roles and doesn't disappoint as Yoo Jin. It seemed real as he fumbled around learning to have friends and care for people. The other actors are good also. Go Gyeong Pyo is good as Il Rak.
The music is outstanding. It is worth watching this drama for that alone.
I will probably rewatch this at some point.
No matter what genre you enjoy, I recommend this drama. It is a comfortable and easy watch.
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Acting/Cast: Great. Amazing. I've got nothing to say when these character were slowly became the biggest point of how this drama could be so great even though i don't expected this drama to came out this good. Joo-won was great as always, and Shim Eun-kyung was amazing to have made her 'own' Nodame without trying to be the j-drama Nodame though she unconciously did that on few first episodes. Il-rak was just likeable character, while i don't expect Yoon-hoo to be a lovely character towards the finale. Everybody has done a great job on potraying their character.
Music: Definitely great. No comment for this because i just LOVED all of the songs. Including the OSTs!I've been listening 'Listen To My Heart' by Melody Day for weeks, and has never got bored of it.
Rewatch Value: It was cute and lovely. I'll rewatch this when i have times, although i really don't rewatch the completed dramas that i've watched.
Overall: 8.5/10
It was an unexpected good drama, and one of dramas that i won't forget 'cause of the feelings that it gives to me.
[SORRY FOR BAD GRAMMAR :)]
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When I was writing this review, I considered my review of the original Nodame Cantabile and my knowledge of the manga. For the original Nodame, I gave the story and overall score as 9/10. It was entertaining and stuck to the overall feel of the manga as intended by its original author. For this Korean version, I scored it slightly lower 8.5/10 because I felt that the the expansion of the stories of side-characters have reduced the impact somewhat for the storyline of the main couple, their victories and failures. The story of Nodame is special because of this unique and comical interaction and relationship between a handsome, straight-laced, no-nonsense genius conductor with a quirky, messy and 'autistic' young lady who happens to be a genius at the piano. It is also a celebration of the grandeur and beauty of classical music. Somehow, the Korean version did not make my heart race when it comes to the classical music parts as the original Japanese version did. Perhaps, it all comes down to selection of pieces and the situations they were played - it is my opinion that they could have gone with better coordination of the music to produce a better wow! and inspirational effect. In fact, there are parts when the orchestra was playing and the music was cut short, diverted or tapered off (especially when it is near its crescendo)- a no-no for me for a classical music-themed drama.
Despite its weaknesses, this Korean version has its strengths as it has a more well rounded overall story. It's just a pity that the role of Nodame was muted to some point where the Korean Nodame could be deemed as quite a normal young lady with a good understanding of how to function in a normal society (eg: except for the first time, there were no indication that she continued to keep a messy room, she was able to keep a proper job, she behaved like a normal person in a relationship etc). I feel that Nodame (as the title suggests) should be the shining character and at par in relevance with the character of Chiaki. This however, was sacrificed for the more rounded overall story.
Acting/Cast: Joo Won did a great job as Yoo-Jin (Chiaki's character) but he was definitely less resistant towards Nae-Il (Nodame's character). In fact, half way through the drama, he knew he was in love with Nae-Il, simply hid the fact whereas with Chiaki, he did not realise it until towards the end when Nodame left him. Even then, Chiaki had trouble accepting that he actually likes Nodame.
As for Nae-Il's character, played by Eun-Kyung, is definitely hands down, a less impressive and less stand-out character compared with the Japanese Nodame played by Ueno Juri. So far, Ueno Juri tops the Nodame character hands down. Nae-Il is a much watered down Nodame character to the point that she is actually quite normal - which in turn, took away the uniqueness of Nodame's 'autistic genius' character.
The rest of the cast did well. Special mention for Go Kyung-Pyu as Il-Rak. He has an energetic and endearing acting style in this drama. A total likeable character and definitely an experienced actor. I'll be keeping an eye out for him.
Music: I love all of the classical pieces in this drama as I did for Nodame Cantabile. My only complain was the poorer music coordination for the scenes and how certain pieces were cut short and fell flat before its climax.
Rewatch value: Personally, Nodame Cantabile was a much easier re-watch drama because it is more entertaining (as it follows the manga with its exaggerated facial expressions), has fantastic classical musics at the right time and mood and it is shorter in duration. It would be quite tiresome for me to re-watch this Korean version as I would have to know exactly which 'draggy' scenes (the ones involving the side stories of others and talking) to fast forward to get to the interesting parts. Therefore, I will not be in a hurry to be re-watching this anytime soon.
Overall: Considering its strengths and weaknesses, I gave it an overall 8.5/10. This version is certainly a different product that the Japanese Nodame Cantabile and should be watched as such. I made comparisons to the original above so that those of you who had not watched the Japanese version will know exactly where it differs. Rest assured I had evaluated this drama as a stand alone and an entirely different product. It is a good enough drama that it is not a waste of time to watch but it is not a wow! drama.
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What I loved most was the setting and music plot lines. The twists weren't overly unexpected, but I really enjoyed being in that element and watching the musicians perform and grow. If you're a big fan of music, especially classical music, I would definitely suggest giving TC a try. It's not overly true to life (it's a drama after all), but being so immersed in the culture is very satisfying.
The soundtrack was really incredible. They brought in many familiar classical pieces, but they would often do variations on them to fit the mood or plot line. Plus, one of my biggest pet peeves is when an actor makes no effort to look like they're actually playing an instrument. I can tell that TC's actors/film crew worked hard to make it look legit. It definitely requires more effort, but the results were worth it.
I unfortunately had mixed feelings about the cast. I loved the stuffy and rigid Yoo Jin, who desperately seeks a career in conducting. He was a bit stiff sometimes, but I thought it worked with his character. The other cast members on the whole were a tough sell. To counterbalance Yoo Jin and some of the antagonists, most of the other students spent a lot of the time in bits of over-the-top humor and antics. Nae Il especially. It was only in the last few episodes of the drama that I truly began to like them, and I think it was because the climax of the show eliminated a lot of the ridiculous humor.
Although it's categorized as romance on MDL, I don't recommend watching TC for that. It's there, but it's not the ultimate focus and drive of the drama. There isn't anything overly creative or inspiring about it, and I didn't find myself skipping other parts urgently to get to it. Some moments were cute, but watching 20 episodes for that plot line is not a great idea. Honestly, it often made Nae Il hard to swallow because of how crazy she would get over Yoo Jin. That's just not my thing when it comes to a female lead.
Overall, I was pleased, and it might be something I'll watch again if I'm in a mood for music. I loved the setting and being so involved with the music. It hit very close to home. The actors did a great job in highlighting the positives and negatives of what it means to be a musician and the motivations behind your craft. But, if you are considering watching it, make sure you are looking for a relatively light drama with heavy doses of humor and very basic romances.
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I believe Joo Won can do anything and do it extremely well. His character, Yoo Jin, will give you a lot of warm and fuzzy moments in this drama, so enjoy…
Shim Eun Kyeong, played a sweet and less wacky version of Nodame. The roles of Go Gyeong Pyo as Rak and Park Bo Gum as the other love interest for Naeil, added to the drama and were well done. Stressman’s character was only a pale shadow to the same character in Nadome Cantabile. Or you could say his character was a more rational man and not the crazy womanizer played in Nadome.
Nodame Cantabile is based on the manga. Being based on the manga, the characters are more pronounced. Their actions and expressions are sometimes more exaggerated and comic like. Even the Classical pieces and performances were more explosive in this drama. Ueno Juri was just a perfect Nodame and I fell in love with Tamaki Hiroshi in his portrayal of Chiaki.
With a shove from Naeil/Nodame, Yoo Jin/Chiaki finds himself following his dream…
Both dramas are good.
Tomorrow’s Cantabile is a no stress, easy to watch, light and sweet romantic comedy enhanced with classical music playing throughout. It is a feels good drama that will leave you smiling.
Nadome Cantabile, is just more…
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Yes I started the manga before the drama but dropped it after few chapters to focus on the drama. I don't normally watch Japanese so I didn't watch that version and glad i didn't. I hate comparing and I have it as a rule not to watch different versions of the same thing if I don't have the original to compare with. Anyhow the Korean Tomorrow's Cantabile was a lovely experience for me.
It was touching watching Cha Yoo Jin maturing and growing ; though I didn't like his personality till the end. Seol Nae Bal was too clumsy at the beginning; stayed clumsy but a bit less and I liked her honest and innocent self. Il Rak was a sweetheart; Go Gyeong Pyo is always is. Lee Yeon Ho was the scent of elegance for me. But the best thing about the drama was Franz; especially when he'd say: Baby.
The drive to succeed and the urge to dream is wherever and whenever touching to me and i'm so attached to Dream and ambition dramas. It'd have been great if i watched such dramas when i was in college. This drama and other similar ones help me update my dream list and recharge my energy.
The music was epic; every piece and every performance.
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One thing they kept too cute was the relationship between the main characters. They could have provided a bit more mature development there. This is one area that made me love the anime. There were a few spots that didn't connect the story well for me and this is why I'm not going to rate it as high.
Overall, the talent of the cast is indisputable. I wanted to see them play more. I thoroughly enjoyed the Mambo performance and hearing the Vivaldi score throughout. (I'm biased, I love Vivaldi)
I recommend you watch this when you want something lighthearted and entertaining to watch. And it's a quick watch...you want to see what happens next.
Till next...drama
- DJ
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I haven't seen the Japanese original/version yet, but...
Seeing the reviews and rating I wasn't expecting much when I started watching, but it surprised me. It wasn't super intense or serious in either the plot or the romance, but it was very fun and relaxing to watch. Definitely one to watch if you want a relaxing, care-free night, with a couple of laughs. Although there were some holes that could have been fixed or patches that could have been sown together better, the story was really enjoyable. It's definitely worth watching!
The actors were amazing especially the main male lead. It takes a while to get used to the main female lead's character, but I personally think the actress did a good job playing the role. The side characters are cute and adorable, and are as important to the story as the leads. (Also they're all really attractively cute~~~)
The music was amazing. (but I mean hey what do you expect, it's a drama about music). The only complaint I can think would be said about the music is the fact that it's classical. And although, I enjoy my rock, pop, and alternative, but, honestly, classical is just downright beautiful. Especially when they connect the emotion and backstory to the songs, it makes listening to the instruments a million times more enjoyable.
I would definitely re-watch this drama (which I probably will with my mother anyway). In fact I think I'm going to go check out the Japanese version/original, even though it's said to be a bit different, I'm curious (and I already miss the music).
Overall, even though there were missing pieces here and there, and there were parts that should/could have been polished, the end product was calming, cute, and very fun to watch.
Worth 16 hours.
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This was the first adaptation of this that I watched, but have lined up the anime, manga and J-drama to sink into for comparison later.
While I was never racing to get to the next episode because I simply HAD to know what happened, I was OK with that, because this wasn't supposed to be a drama like that. I also liked that there was no concrete ending and it was just a continuation of the life they were already living.
This was my first Joo Won drama and I will be following his choices of role in the future since I thought he was excellent in this.
I am very grateful to this drama for breaking a slump I've had over the last month or so. So thanks, Cantabile Tomorrow!
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And it is really good in its own way, because it depicts things waaaaaaayyyy more realistic than N.C. which was as much over the top as Japanese dramas get.
Plot: A very talented pianist wants to be a conductor and leave for Europe, but he can't because of a childhood trauma. He meets his neighbour, who's a pianist at this school and the exact opposit of him - childish, comical, messy, non-ambitious - and now she's following him like a puppy. There are several characters that come together in an unusual orchestra which was build by the visiting and widely known and excentric maestro Stresemann, who shakes everything up a bit. We see how characters strife for their goals and how even the childish girl has something hidden...
The Japanese version is a living manga, you could say, and is foremost freakily funny.
The Korean version somehow manages to be just as entertaining (for me) without leaving the realm of realistic settings and possibilities. Tomorrow's C. is also longer, because it added some plotlines, that weren't in the original version: The love rival, who's a nice guy and has a secret; some drama in the mangament and storyboard section (you know, the evil chaebol-mom is represented here); some minor events like the expedition to the swimming-pool. And let's face it - T.C. just serves a love story that can be taken seriously at some point :)
While the female lead character remains almost exactly as crazy as her Japanese counterpart, the rest are the water-downed versions, which is NOT a bad thing. As funny as they were in the original, I appreciated a more realistic take on them, as well. From hairstyle to behaviour, I really like this version. Especially Rak, the violinst, is a superb supporting role. The only let-down was the actor who played Stresemann. If you compare Japanese and Korean Stresemanns, they are like black and white. And this wouldn't be bad, if the Korean one was at least good. But seriously - this man NEVER changes his expression, it is SO not fitting the character! But okay, he's a supporting role and has not much screen-time.
I don't get the low score, because this drama really deserves at least an 8.0 and you should try it definitely when you want to see sth endearing and funny.
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The story is a little bit different with Nodame Cantabile. And maybe cause its Korean drama that the story is much slower than Nodame. The main cast is amazing but maybe you’ll find some annoying supporting cast, I found some of them.
Because I don’t really understand music, so yeah it’s OK.
Want to rewatch it? Just rewatch Nodame cantabile then.
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