VioletSakura
Hope World's Spring Day Sea
First of all, I am now noticing a pattern in the series as I have watched all of them, though they are called "Pretty Boy" and hey, who can say you don't see enough pretty here, but has anyone also caught him/herself on the thought that the characters crated for these series seem very real? I mean, forgetting about the bubbly front, there were real people, real feeling, real problems, and I like it so much, that it feels real watching these characters. I like characters that have depth, and the series have never failed to give me the characters. And though at first you may thing Enrique is the most funny, cute and bubbly character you could ever see, throughout the series he will show you so much humanity, so much sadness, so many unforgettable words... Though Dok-Mi may seem the girl who has closed herself and hasn't thought about her life ever since, will show you so much smile, so much strength, so much pain that she has been through and how much she grows by the end of the series, how much she changes Enrique and changes herself...
As the drama is mostly a comedy, I thought it is important to note that you'll find here not only comedy but also real characters who will make you feel for them, which I really appreciate.
This was the 3rd drama I was watching with Park Shin-Hye, and she again proved her abilities, I adore the girl.
Yoo Si-Yoon was just adorable as puppy-panda Enrique, I hope to watch other things with him.
Music was, like the drama, cute and calm. I really like the slow piece during the sad parts, and Park Shin-Hye's song, so alike her character and warm to my heart.
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I love movies with symbolism, and this movie fed my hunger for it wholly and the most satisfying way...
It's been 20 minutes I have finished watching it, and my eyes still see and my ears still hear the main character playing the piano, be it during the duel, or with one hand, or two pianos at the same time...
There are scenes in the movie that just refuse to leave my head... The bicycle turning back after being asked to ride slower, childish games between the two leads, their piano duet, the apples, the nature... and music, music, music...
Half of the movie was a love triangle, and I was loving it, then BOOM! it turns out a whole another story...and I'm still marveling it.
I was praying during the last moments of the movie, I was honestly praying...
The effects of the movie and the sudden changes in music left me breathless, absolutely beautiful movie...
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The story? It just describes the lives of the most ordinary students who have taken their direction in life... music+acting=musicals... but, is the simple combination I had in mind before watching this still working for me? Guess what - it doesn't, now I am thinking, how could I have been so naive to have thought like that for that long!
As the story progressed, as the students were getting into the world of musicals deeper and deeper, I was studying with them, I was absorbing every word their wise professors were teaching them. I came to know much more, for example that acting is not always the emotions that you make yourself believe you have at the moment, the greatest acting is when you actually feel the way your character would have felt at the moment, and you stop acting and actually feel that way, you cry real tears, you smile a real smile, you really get angry...
In the beginning there are several stories, as every character has an issue to deal with be it a parent related, lack of self esteem, haunting past mistakes, fear of exposure, guilt, cry for freedom... then, as the story goes on, and all this, at the first sight separate people, become closer, share each other's pain, happiness, tears and laughter, the stories become so entangled, that, when one of the issues gets its resolve(not always the perfect one), you breath such a sigh of relief, you could fly...
There are so many moments I would like to complement the actors for making my heart skip a beat, I would end up telling the whole story. There are so many moments I was on verge of tears, just because I felt so overwhelmed and touched... the first time JaeHun sings, the tears in his eyes at the moment, TaeHee's song for him, their first dance, DoSung's battle with himself, with the music in his head, ByungGun's first song heard by the ghost, his second song heard by many, TaeHee's conversations with her father, JaeHun's consideration for her father (actually his photo), his lover for her, Professor SunWoo's 50cent information for TaeHee, his advice to the students (especially the last one about the 'show stopper'), all the students' songs and performances...
As this is a musical drama, there are many songs here, but especially heart clenching peace is called 'With You' performed by TaeHee and ByungGun, I can't stop listening to it... And of course Park Bom's You and I, very artistically inserted here, was a very good addition to the collection. How can I not mention the great covers from famous musicals like 'Jekyll and Hyde', 'Grease', 'Fame', 'Phantom of the Opera'...
My lament is WHY THERE IS NO OST??? How can this happen? *I am really on verge of tears because of this* These is no OST, and I listening to the songs through ripped version directly from the drama...
I will actually not say 'recommended' this time, as I am sure some plot holes, smoothed out ending, and other issues will stop many people from watching this, or liking it, but I loved every moment, and I absolutely did not want it to end...
I hope there is Vol.2...
What's Up? hihi~
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This drama started magically, I mean it, when I watching the first 2 episodes I was weeping from the cuteness ad genius acting of the child actors. It will be very rude of me not to mention that I fell for Yeo JinGoo... totally and forever. That boy is not acting, he is actually living every damn second of his role. There are so many moments I would like to highlight in his acting, but this particular part I must write here: the part when we are shown the children holding each other's bloody hands and their faces were shown so scared and alarmed, and then suddenly the separation of hands... and JongWoo's face at the scene in front of his eyes... I was honestly hyperventilating from tears, as I couldn't take the beauty and genius acting, but at the same time the heaviness of the scene... one of the most memorable scenes in my dramalife.
As I discovered throughout this drama, I am not a fan of melodramas and get bored or long revenge stories, I, of course, kept coming back, as the acting, the set-up, the aura of the drama were dragging me in (tell me, if you were me, would you be so cold hearted and leave Yoochun and Yoo SeungHo hanging? you wouldn't, especially when they were doing a great job).
I must say Yoochun's JongWoo is a really great character, whom I came to love with all my heart. And the interesting fact I noted, that Yoochun had paid a lot of attention how Yoo JinGoo had played JongWoo, and was actually not creating an adult version, but continuing from where JinGoo had left JongWoo. And I really admire that fact, that made me love Yoochun more as a n actor. I must say this is his best role yet.
Can't say anything more than neutral about adult SooYeon, though I love-love-love Yoon EunHee, her SooYeon was boring to me, I saw strength in her only in the last episode for a couple of minutes, the other times, she was either supported either by Harry, or JongWoo... nothing like her child version who went after the boy she loved and got kidnapped with him.
I cannot also leave SeungHo's Harry. Though, of course, not my favourite character in the drama (duh), he did a splendid job! There was not a second I didn't believe his Harry, not a single tear, which went unnoticed, bravo~
The music was ok, nothing to scream about, I have downloaded only one song from the OST, which is rare for me, well, MBC can't create awesome OSTs every time...
About rewatch value... I'll come back, I think, BUT only for the first 3 episodes and the last part of the last episode... I am done with it.
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Now a question that has been bugging me since the beginning... why not make a normal movie out of this and drag it as a drama?
About the story... Roman Holidays + Hana Yori Dango. These 4 words explain everything about the story... And it contains neither Audrey Hepburn, to be as funny and catching as the Roman Holidays, so even when you watch it without the colors you actually see all the colors, not the cute and original plot and story line of Hana Yori Dango.
And in spite of the fact that this drama is one of the most unoriginal ones I've ever seen, after watching it I started respecting Yoochun more. If you hear his Japanese in this drama, you won't be able to tell he's a Korean, even his seldom Korean phrases here sound Japanese, honestly, he amazed me throughout all the drama! This guy is making his path to my heart with the biggest steps...
Can't say anything valuable about the music, there's only one song at the end of the episodes by JunSu... nice song with his powerful vocals and again with perfect Japanese...
And however biased I am, it does not affect the rating... it's 6!
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A fantastic story and cinematography! I enjoyed every second of this strange and calm movie. The main point of the movie is even if the person happens to know his/her future, he'she is not going to give up the any second of happiness to avoid the consequences... Really touching and intriguing little story...
In the middle there was a point I stopped the movie, and started thinking for myself 'hmm... what's going on, now he knows her, she doesn't know him, and it began like she knew him and he didn't know her, which is the dream? which is the reality? what time is it now?' As I analyzed and collected in my mind all the details I knew for the moment, I just pushed play, as all I came up with were the collection of facts I had seen until the moment was stopped. And then the answers just flowed into my head with the beautiful scenes and dialogues (which by the way are rare in this movie)... Also the best characteristic of this movie is that the events are in wrong and chaotic chronological order... which makes you think and think and give freedom to your imagination... Which part is the dream? When is the past, the future, the present? Who's going to disappear in thin air? Is going to make the decision? Is anything going to change? So many questions...
Fantastic movie, really... I hope I'd do the same as the main female lead...
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It can seem the most ordinary 'follow your dream' plot, but it's not, it somehow made me wonder 'Hey, these 4 guys are grown up people and more or less are on their own feet in this world (not in music industry), how come they still want to dance, jump on the stage and compete with youngsters?' And then, while watching the parts when they were visiting hospitals and schools... it hit me... why not? Is there a childish dream in the world? (look who's talking...haha~) Seeing their passion and strive for their dream, made my eyes tear...
Music is very sweet and heartwarming, very fitting to the mood of the movie, both songs "Summer Dream" and "Unfinished Song" (especially the latter) are brilliant songs.
All through the movie, I was thinking: "I like this, though it's a little simple, maybe 7... yes, 7"... then the last scene bought me wholly... The sweetest scene EVER! You should watch to be able to understand my unstopping tears at that moment...
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This is a love story that conquers the time and space, and yes, it's sometimes silly and making little sense, sometimes funny and smart, sometimes sad and teary, sometimes cute and romantic... I found all these features in this drama, and as you can see from my rating I liked it, as it made me smile, laugh, be sad and cry... just what I need from a drama like this.
If you're looking for a serious crime-detective drama, this is not for you, though the plot is consistent in the sense that, yes, you get to discover the truth gradually, but it plays out many more mini plots, that may not interest a person who is looking for a serious drama.
The theories of reincarnation are much touched in the drama, which were actually making me thing about it hard enough I had developed my own theories about the plot not knowing the outcome, fortunately I wasn't that far off of what the writers had been thinking.
Though the ending is kind of bitter-sweet, I let go of my sadness, and chose to be happy with it, not going too deep, as the show was just whispering into my ear... 'I didn't want that serious of an attitude, just let it go, it's alright'... I'm happy!
I am very content with all the actors and characters. I loved and cared much for the goodies, and hated (most of you have noticed my antiSeNa syndrome in its most cruel incarnations, lol) the baddies.
YooChun was sweet and clever (not always). I liked his character a lot, being a Joseon King and at the same time portraying childishness and wittiness...
Han JiMin's ParkHa is not my ideal female character, but I liked her tomboyish attitude in the beginning and her standing up to SeNa very much, and her BooYong, though seen very shortly mirrored her ParkHa very much, I liked the parallels!
I would like to mention SeNa's actress very much. She played her role brilliantly, I will hate SeNa for as long as I live... brilliant performance!
The 3 Joseon man made the show more yummy and funny, clever and cute!
Music is also very good, and my opinions portrays the drama very well, especially the piece 'Empty'... it just pierces my heart every time I listen to it. ALi's 'Jurt' and Baek Ji-Yong's 'After a Long Time' will be in my iPod for a long time...
Overall, this drama is worth a watch I think, it gave me the answers to the questions I had, I had a lot of laugh, I cried... all I needed from this drama...
I'm happy ^^ I'll miss it!
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I am every time amazed how good the Japanese present friendship... They do it so well, when I see a good friendship in a Korean drama, I automatically think someone Japanese works for the crew, haha~ I don't know how they do, but I always have tears in my eyes when I see these lonely souls come together and become support for each other.
I can see some parallels in this drama with "Last Friends" (which, by the way, also has Eita and Ueno Juri as leads). But the Last Friends had a darker and 'saltier' feel to it, while this one, though again sometimes sad had a brighter feel.
Many problems are raised in the show and the first one is the loneliness of a modern person. While a lot of people are around them every day, they find their piece with people whom they have never met at all, and those people understand their feelings in the 140 characters they can squeeze into Twitter update.
Or not being able to be honest with yourself in the first place. I noticed in this drama, that it became like some kind of an addiction and illness for the characters, not being honest, that is. Lying to yourself and not sharing your feelings for so long, that when you find people who will actually listen to you not matter what you say, and no matter what you confess to... you continue lying to yourself, while these people actually start understanding you better that you do it yourself...that was really touching, and very well played throughout the drama.
This will be rare of me, but I want to complain about the music. The songs were great, but the instrumental parts always dragged me out of the moment. You see, they used instrumentals from American movie "Holiday" and English movie "Love Actually". Though, I must confess they chose the best pieces of the Scores, I couldn't get into the moment and not imagine the scenes of the other movies the music sounded through, I think the Japanese have enough talented composers to take over score writing, so ganbare~
I am definitely rewatching this one, as I am a big sucker for well done friendship stories, and this drama became one of them for me.
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I love both main leads, I can't watch Masaki Okada dying anymore...this movie and especially Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu were enough for me...
This story amazed me for the brave main female, her words and actions...to love a person so much, that she doesn't want to loose the last recollection of her loved one, even if it's the most painful memory in her life that her brain tried to erase for good...
This story amazed me for the best main male, his love and feelings for the girl...to love a person so much, that the moment her understood, they were going to collide with the truck he thought only about saving his loved one, forgetting and just casting away his own body and life...
And the last scene... finished me off for good...
"Izumi...Imuzi...ikiteru?" tears...
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Fist of all, I did not get into this little history of life of the characters fully, as it was too cropped and didn't give enough depth. Then I didn't come to like ANY of the main characters, the younger version of the guy is shy and silent... but hey, he presents himself a total looser all the time! I couldn't believe his actions as a man in love, giving up on the girl he loved so dearly, and at the situation he did it, it was the most awful part, instead of jumping for her rescue, he just left... what a loser...
The girl...Suzy...Suzy... I couldn't get over her HyeMin (Dream High) when I was watching this... yes she was a little different, but her cold act was screaming HyeMi all over the screen...
The older version, actually, were more lovable, but they were the ones who drew the ending of the movie, so, hey, what the hell... if you're telling a story, be so king and draw a normal ending!!!
I was waiting to watch this movie very-very much for several reasons: first of all the cast - Lee JeHoon was amazing in Fashion King and believe it or not was born in 1980 and was playing a young student here as a counterpart to Suzy, who is like 18 or something... he was cute, yes, but again,an awful character was his young guy... *shudder*
Jo Jung-Suk... yes, I love thins man, kill me, he was so funny and actually when his character was with the main lead, somehow the main lead did not mean so pathetic, just a young guy, who needed advice with his girl~ lol, when he was explaining how to kiss, I was on the floor :p
What I want to mention, the movie has a beautiful cinematographic solutions... actually some fantastic ones... shots of Seoul, the sea, the house he builds, the narrow streets, the old house... the game of lights...
Should you watch it or not? I have no idea... I just gave my opinion... choose for yourself, you may like it...
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I think I will begin with good points.
First of all this drama held me on the corner of my chair all the time. As the drama is about deception, and the liar is the main character, and none other than the handsome and unbelievably hot Jo In-Sung, I felt conflicted all the time, from one point I wanted Young to believe him, I wanted him to win over her, so that he can get the money and love on, but from another, I was against her falling for his lies, as I liked Young's cold and calculative logic about his behavior, and every time she caught him on his act, I checked points in her favor.
Another good point: the most mature male lead character ever seen by me in a Korean drama. Can you believe it? A mature Korean drama character... I was shocked myself... The moment I came to really adore Soo's character is when he got the bracelet from Young and was thinking that for the first time he was thinking, how much pain HE is going to live through after his farce was over. He, of course, knew how much pain he would inflict into Young, but I liked him more as a human being as he knew, he was in that lie deeper that he ever wanted to be.
I can't say say all the nice things I was thinking about Young in the beginning of the drama, as they all got erased from my brain because of her zombie acting during all 4 last episodes...
The character that does not leave my mind is MooChul... damn... that man's charisma was just oozing from him, though of course, everybody will hate him from the start, but after knowing him more and after his character's development... I think everybody must come to like the man!
Now the bad point! The ENDING! The director and the writers can give lessons "How to ruin a perfect drama with the last 4 episodes"... What the hell was wrong? How could this drama end like that? I was so shocked, I couldn't believe my eyes. Nothing made sense... everything just happened... and then one year later... and then again... some thins happening... the end... Oh My God... I was going to give this drama a 10, but damn, they ruined it so badly...
Not end my review with a negative note, I am saying, this drama is great, I honestly love it, no, really, despite the ruined ending it gave me a lot of breathless moments and beautiful (a little strange, yes) romance and friendship (?)... The music was great, both the score and OSTs. The cinematography is awesome, so clear and so vivid, I definitely like the HD camera SBS has gotten its hands on.
Try it, for sure, I know I will come back for it too...
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I actually can't believe I am now writing a review for the whole drama, this whole time this drama has seemed so real and so close to me, that 'closing the book' is like saying goodbye to a whole world full of very close friends.
The plot of this drama has so many dimensions, which are continuous and meaningful, that I can write separate reviews for every one of them: JaeHa and HangAh's romance, North and South, JaeShin and ShiKyung, BongGu and the power, JaeHa becoming the King, the theory of ShiKyung (the research question being, whether such a person can exist in the world, maybe I should write a thesis on this)...^^
While I definitely view this drama as a romance, I think the main scene here is grabbed by JaeHa's becoming the King we see him in the last episode, from his very first steps as a worthless player (whoever thought of him that way...tsk-tsk-tsk) to a magnificently shining, war stopping King of South and North Koreas.
The drama provides such a rich character development plot it kept me breathless most of the time... The changes through which JaeHa went through with the help of JaeKang, then HangAh, then ShiKyung... aren't they brilliantly thought of?
In my opinion the love story described in this drama is the most beautiful and breath-taking love story...ever, even being not the center story of the drama, the love line didn't fail in JaeHa's every next step, in every HangAh's heroic act... being together or separated, they were perfect and strong...they both took my breath away, and I am hopelessly in love with this couple!
I don't think I possess the right words to describe the acting in this drama, now typing... it seems shallow.
Every character in the drama became a part of me during this weeks, every one of them (except for the foreign 'actors' who just...whatever) made my heart skip a beat, hit the air with fists, jump up and down.
Ha JiWon is one of my favourite actresses, and I was sure in her when I started watching this, she did not disappoint me for a second! Her HangAh had so many layers, so deep, so lovable, so heroic, so strong, she is definitely one of my favourite female characters.
Lee SeungGi... brilliant as a brat, brilliant as a King, brilliant as a lover who want to protect his loved one (suddenly I am seeing the part when he was holding HangAh in China, like she was the last piece of air in his lungs...). I think he has improved very much in his acting, and JaeHa was perfect, he become the King people will believe in, he brought the drama to the(almost) perfect ending...
Jo JungSuk... I think ShiKyung was the most difficult character to portray in the drama. As he was always being called 'boring and not having sense of humor', depending on the actor I think, ShiKyung could definitely be a boring one, maybe an honest and loyal, yes, but not the ShiKyung everybody fell in love with. Jo JungSuk made him perfect. This character will remain in my heart forever, he is one of the main reasons JaeHa made it to the end and the way he made it to the end!
I can't help but mention Yoon JeMoon as Kim BongGu, as he never failed to freak and creep me out with his character. BRAVO!
The cinematography and the music of the drama deserve the BEST award of all awards.
The symbolic value of the scenes played out by the light and shadows and the gorgeous music pieces never failed to put me deep into the world of the drama, I never doubted the reality of the event, I think I never will...
Long live the King and the Queen!
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The movie caught my attention from the first seconds...
It showed different couples, every time the guy was a foreigner (not a Japanese) and they were telling about the fun part of their lives...What wrong things do the foreigners do, which Japanese people find funny...
Inoe Maou, was brilliant as always...I love her English, and she tried to talk it quite a lot here :P
The guy, Toni, was chosen, very...how would I say...he was very eye catching, not the handsome guy you'd expect...but at the same time, sometimes so cute and lovable all the time.
The main idea of the movie (and I think of the manga too), that everyone is different, it doesn't matter are you Japanese or French, or American...Everybody's unique...and maybe our cultures are different, we're all people and get along, love, even marry :)
Overall...I loved the movie.
It's worth watching!
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I'm quite embarrassed now to remember why and how I started watching this drama, thinking of it lightly, just another rom/com, even putting it on hold after watching 2 episodes... now it sounds so crazy to me *shame on me*...
More than writing about the originality of the story and its differences from other dramas, I'd prefer to write about the characters that made me love the story, even making me claim, that I'd love the ending despite whatever stupid solution they offer, only if the two main leads end up together (no, that did not include meeting with the reincarnated version of one of the characters!)
First of all (hands away, he's MINE, RAWR!) the smartest, the hottest, the bravest Kim BoongDu! I will agree with HeeJin, he's a total player, who stole my heart and did not give it back even after the end, on the contrary, I love him more and more each day. BoongDu kind of flipped my apprehension of a perfect male character! Ji HyunWoo was such a natural in his role, I didn't doubt his act even for a second, everything was so natural! Even the smallest looks he gave HeeJin, the smallest touch, the smallest blink of his eyes for her, nothing went unnoticed because of his acting!
HeeJin, well, not my perfect female character, actually (she underestimated her intellect so often...), but I came to love her so dearly! I've said several times: HeeJin - the only female character who can explain the meaning of everything with a kiss, I luved it! I liked her very much, as she went on with her life even during her hardest times, tried her hardest to be all she wanted to be, and did not break down during separation, was passionate and cute, lovable and supportive every time BoongDu needed her!
A special mention deserves the cinematography of this drama! One of the BEST thing bout this drama, I felt like being inside the screen all the time, I fell in love with director's style, his multiple angle shots of the same scene, showing both of the characters when they were longingly looking at each other, I did not miss a single moment of their love, not a single teardrop, not a single breath...
I also want to mention that this drama contains the BEST kiss I had ever witnessed in a Korean drama! I still go back and watch it sometimes... the tip-toe kiss...*sigh*
The music is very fitting and sweet, especially the traditional instrumental piece which I hope will be released soon, I adore it...
I have rewatched many parts of the drama for many-many times, so I rate its value almost as high as the drama itself.
During these weeks I have been watching this drama, it changed its status in my heart several times: first it was a light rom/com trough which I was going to lightly pass through, rate it 7 and forget, then it became the source of my smile and laughter, as I was leaving it to watch after I was being drained by King2Hearts, it gave me so much consolation... then, as I was still under the impression of K2H, it kind of lost the meaning of a placebo of a smile for me, but then, it again gained my heart, made my heart flutter, made me laugh, cry, scream at the screen, analyze and dream...
Totally recommended ^^
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