addicted2dramas
India
This movie is a true masterpiece by all aspects. It was so warming and I felt like it hit me in all the right places. Nothing felt overdone or underdone and the cast did a wonderful job of portraying people suffering from grief and tragedy. Although the movie is sad, it also has immense hope in it, much like its namesake. It is all about picking yourself up from the downsides of life and moving on with a smile. It forces you to think about all the harsh realities of the world and question the thin line between justice and fairness.
I have to really, really commend the stellar performances but on by the little girl and the actors who played her parents. It was too good to be true and felt too real. For a while, I lost myself in the movie and forgot that what I was seeing on my screen was not real. The irony is that it is real and at the same time not real. My heart goes out to the family of Nayoung and hope she is doing well in real life.
However, the reason to watch this movie is mostly to take a cue from it and smile in your life. This movie is indeed very inspirational and the direction is flawless. There are no bits of it I would want to change. Everything from the casting to the script were smooth and neat. A thorough masterpiece of a film that manages to capture a lot of reality and present it to you without any sugarcoat. It tells you how if you end up with a bitter candy, swallowing it won't make the bitterness go away. You rather have to live with chewing the candy and ingest the bitterness that comes along with it.
Do watch this movie if you are looking for something different. But be warned and prepare yourself with a box of tissues.
Was this review helpful to you?
The story is excellent. You can see how much effort the writer and director put into it right from the first scene. While it gets dark and depressing, there is also a light tone to it during some parts. This is the first time I have watched a lesbian Korean movie and found myself highly loving it. While the two women serve as the main characters, Ha Jeong Woo also plays the male lead and has quite a presence throughout. During the entire course of the film, it will give you the feeling of reading a book than watching a film. It's poetic and literary in its narration and the atmosphere of the movie just amplifies all the best parts about the film.
There were a few erotic scenes but I felt like they were tastefully filmed. The girls have good chemistry with each other and Ha Jeong Woo was the perfect barrier between them. I was impressed by how well all three spoke Japanese in the movie (also the supporting cast). Plus the era the film is set in makes it a hundred times more interesting. It's intriguing to see Korea portrayed under the rule of Japan and you can see how much Korean culture was influenced by the Japanese during then. You could watch the movie just for the periodic setting and even then you could enjoy it for that solely as well.
What's cool about the movie is the plot- the conning, friendship, romance, perversion and obsession. There's also a slight revenge aspect to the story which was the main twist and made this movie way more likable. Also the costumes, sets and dialogues are what made it so fun. I swear I blushed during a few parts of the film because I never realized how erotic Japanese can sound with the right diction.
If you wanna know what sets this movie apart, it's the setting/era (undoubtedly) and also the ending. YES. The ending makes it all worth it. The entire 2+ hours will fly by and you will not even notice it. And the twist was so, so clever. Kudos to the writer.
Only watch it if you are over 18 or a mature teen. There are some scenes of torture and hints of BDSM and perversion. They are not too overbearing so do not worry. Just sit down and enjoy it- like me. The ending makes it the best thing ever. TRUST ME.
Was this review helpful to you?
While the story of the show is nothing out of the ordinary, it turned out to be a lot different from what I expected. I thought it would turn out to be predictable and cliche from start to end, but it left me pleasantly surprised at a lot of places. There were certain twists that I had thought would happen but they were pretty different from what I was anticipating. Also, the ending was also contrary to what was expected. It was not at all obvious. I would have liked to make a lot of changes to it, but the current one makes great sense.
While the characters weren't extraordinary, their traits were very relatable. I only found Nobuka's character to be having very unbelievable and fictional traits. I don't know why there is a trend of certain dark and depressed females in Japanese dramas. These depressed females all have the same of look of the ghost from Ring movie. But I suppose it adds to the fun part. But really, I have neither seen nor heard about people like her so I can't say if it was based on fact or entirely imaginary.
I didn't like Shuji that much for the majority of the show because there seemed to be no character development at all till the last three episodes or so. Even Nobuka's character hardly grew. That was very unsatisfactory. Also, the most ridiculous thing was that while almost all situations were being dealt practically, why couldn't just Nobuka just go to a therapist to cure her mental issues? That part was very absurd. In spite of these shortcomings, Maki Horikita played the role excellently. She was very cute the way she kept nodding in a typical way. And the way she kept walking with her head hung low was very cute. The funniest scenes were the 'Nobuta Power Enter' ones. I can still laugh at that because it was done so well. Maki really proved to be a versatile actress and she has anyway done a lot of great shows.
The second guy, Akira was probably my favorite in it. I was so taken in by his character and loved him entirely till episode 6 or 7 because he seemed to be developing in the best way. Also, the actor Yamapi (who plays Akira) was simply brilliant throughout. During the last few episodes, the character of Akira stopped growing and became a victim of bad writing and inconsistency, hence reducing his charm. But it had nothing to do with the acting. Still, I cared more about him than other characters on the show.
And I was so impressed by Erika Toda. She's stunning and acts really well. I can't wait to watch her in Liar Game! I was so happy to find out she is the lead star of that show! I was worried during this show's progress that she would turn out to be the antagonist and thankfully that didn't happen, so I was happy in that aspect. She played a sweet girl and came off as very likable. Shuji was an idiot for not falling for her.
And I have to mention the character of the vice principle. Her character was pure genius. All the best scenes and dialogues went in her basket. She is the perfect kind of teacher that students can have. I would love to meet such a person in real life. It really was one of the best characters of the show with the best characterization, hands down.
Apart from all this, the sub plots were all excellent. Most of all this show portrays friendship very beautifully. Also subjects like teen depression, bullying and peer pressure are raised splendidly. Most of all, they provide with lessons to be learnt in the end. And the fact that life has to move on in spite of everything, and one should treasure the best memories of youth seem to be the core messages of the show. And of course, it tells us to live life fully and appreciate the life we have and the people we have around us.
The writing deteriorated in the last two episodes but it didn't go beyond a certain level of unreasonable. Plus, nobody overacted in this drama so I am thankful for that. It gets dragged a but but it is well within the limit of bearable. And for the rewatch value- it was enjoyable the first time so I am sure it can be watched again (even if I won't).
Was this review helpful to you?
A relationship between a 17 year old girl and a 35 year old guy seems creepy, and if not portrayed correctly it can go terribly wrong. However, this has to be one of the best student-teacher relationships that I have seen. They were very likable together and none of it seemed forced or stupid. Both the older guy and the younger girl had solid reasons to fall for someone so unexpected. I really liked their love. And I was touched by the girl. In the beginning, she is a bad girl. As in real bad- she works as a prostitute and bullies others. When it seemed like she hardly had any redeeming qualities, she changes completely. It's basically about character development which was the focus point of the story. The girl turns into a very nice and serious person. She stops fooling around, studies hard and changes her ways entirely.
The best thing about their relationship was that she changes a depressed, anti-social person to a happy and expressive person. And while she seems so mature in front of her friends, she acts exactly her age with her teacher. She is attracted to his serious side and he falls for her youthfulness. It was very sweet to watch them together.
Another good thing was that we get informed of the incoming "serious" problems beforehand in the first scene itself. I hate when things drop in on the viewer unexpectedly, out of nowhere! I would have liked to focus a bit more on how she became a bad girl because I found that rather interesting.
The movie has a fairly good star cast and I particularly liked the main actress. She was pretty and was able to act well. I also loved the clothes she wore throughout the film. She even made carrying umbrellas look trendy! She had a pretty magnetic personality. I was also happy with the direction of the film. It was not a well written screenplay and there were a lot of inconsistencies with the plot and pace. But that part gets compensated with good cinematography. Even the soundtrack is cool. I loved the songs they played in the background, plus they were in English so I will probably download the soundtrack later.
Anyway, the movie is overall a very nice effort from the director and writers. While it is not THE best, but it is still great and manages to get its point across to the viewer. It made good sense.
I will definitely rewatch it again when I feel like it.
Was this review helpful to you?
I love the premise of best friends to lovers. Think of it as an Asian 'When Harry Met Sally' but with more heart and more dialogue. That is probably not the most accurate description but it is a nice story nonetheless. I think it is not as good as the Taiwanese one but better than the Korean one. Ishida Ren is so lovable and the perfect guy that could be. Mitarai is selfish and flawed but here she came off as less mean than Ariel Lin's portrayal in the original one.
The story is predictable but not as cliche as one might expect. The romance between the leads is a slow burn and you would just be longing for action all the time ; but there is little of it. It's not a fast paced drama but still a lot happens in every episode to keep one entertained. I really enjoyed the premise of Shibuya and the execution of all subplots.
I must say the casting was very well done in this one. The only miscast was Mitarai's boyfriend and because the original version guy was so good. I feel like this is a very good version and adaptation and you can enjoy it even if you didn't watch the original. The main leads are fantastic and everything is nice and lovely. The emotions will get you and Ishida Ren will win you over no matter. Watch it for him. The actor is awesome and that's all I can say.
It is a nice break from mean "bad" boys of dramas who treat the girl like crap. It is nice to see the nice guy as the lead but after a while you wonder if he's the second lead after all. Just watch it in one go. It's worth a weekend binge watch.
Was this review helpful to you?
There are both pros and cons in this drama. I prefer the love triangle in 94 much, much more than the one in 97. Overall, the characters in this drama were almost equally as good as in 97 (or in some cases- even better).
For starters, Na Jeong was quite funny and likable. According to me, it's hard to beat Sung Shi Won played by Eun Ji in 97 but nonetheless, Go Ah Ra did a great job of playing the main character. The rest of them were great in their roles too but the character of Chilbong stands out a bit more for me. I didn't feel like the writer fully utilized his character. Yoo Yeon Seok however did a splendid job with the way he played Chilbong. Applause to him for making me love him so much and making his character feel so real! Then there's Jung Woo who played Trash oppa. I failed to fully connect to his character, maybe due to the way it was written or due to the lack of acting skills of the actor. I don't know who to blame here. I honestly felt like Trash's character had more depth to him than was delivered- which is just sad.
I now understand why this drama had countless shipper wars. My biggest complaint with the love triangle was why drag it out so much when one guy didn't even stand a proper chance from the beginning? Na Jeong clearly loved one and one only from the start. I did like both guys but the outcome was too predictable. Of course, the writer tried to 'confuse' the viewers but I could easily sense the direction it was going in. Better luck next time, writer-nim!
The thing that makes this drama stand out is the band of realistic characters, their unbreakable bonds, unforgettable friendships and love for each other. Mixed in with the nostalgia of the 90's this was surely a recipe for success. I must say it delivered exceedingly well on this front.
Its other great strength lies in its deeply likable cast where there wasn't a single annoying person! Its OST is pretty good too and is sure to keep me listening for days.
Btw I HAVE to mention the cameos of the cast of Reply 97! They were so hilarious that I wanted to kick out the 94 part and let them stay instead. :D This came as a plus to me because they entered the drama right when the plot started becoming stale.
In spite of the many moments that made this drama super likable, there were an equal number of scenes during which I found myself hitting the fast forward button. Why, writer-nim could you not make this drama shorter? What made Reply 1997 work was its shorter length and ability to not drag out as much as regular dramas tend to do. This drama's duration of each of the 21 episodes made watching a tedious task. The downside of having a drama stretch more than it can eventually tires out the viewer thereby decreasing the overall enjoyment.
Had it been shorter and not as repetitive, I would have said that this drama was better than Reply 1997 in a lot of ways. It probably is. Being the same kind of story, by the end it managed to touch me and thus left me with the happy and warm feeling that it sought out to do. :)
Was this review helpful to you?
Drama Special Season 3: Don't Worry, It's a Ghost
24 people found this review helpful
While the story is nothing extraordinary, it was pretty engrossing. It was well written and cute overall. It has the right amount of humor and emotions in it. The ending was particularly good. I really wish this was a full length drama. I hope they make something similar because that would be so good!
The actors acted well and the musical score was also good. I really enjoyed watching this and wish that there could be more such kinds of one-episode dramas made. It is really worth a watch. Definitely recommended!
Was this review helpful to you?
“I have not broken your heart - you have broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine.” I think this quote fits the whole story perfectly.
The reason that I love fiction is due to stories like Summer's Desire. I haven't read the manga, but as a story/plot for a drama this one is one of the best- especially among Taiwanese productions.
Ironically I had dropped this drama quite some time back. I had been in a slump then and I realized it had been a wrong time to start watching it. I finished it now and I did love it as much as I originally thought I would. It has to be one of the best written love triangles in dramas till date.
The story makes you think of all the been-there-done-that elements from Asian dramas. In fact, the whole plot was filled with cliches which otherwise make me gag but I surprisingly didn't mind them in this drama! The whole plot is AMAZING. It was close to perfection minus some melodrama which bored me towards the end which makes me dock off a point.
The characterizations are solid. The main three leads are all crazy and screwed up. Had it been real, all the three characters would have been in therapy. Well, since this is an Asian drama the only therapy one gets here is love or friendship. Luckily love came to the rescue here.
I loved both guys but Ou Chen really hit me hard. He was a borderline psycho with stalkerish tendencies who would probably get a restraining order in real life. In spite of his shortcomings, I LOVED the guy. His character was three dimensional with real depth. He seemed like he felt truck loads of emotions. His possessiveness and the ability to self-destruct reminded me of tragic literary heroes.
Xia Mao is the most complicated heroine I've encountered in any drama yet. She's an almost anti-heroine with very little likable things about her. I loved the fact that she was not moping around just because her life sucked. She was a person who never revealed her emotions and that is so rare in dramas! It gave me a good break from annoying drama females who sit and cry in every episode. She is selfish, manipulative and thinks about herself and what she wants first. I think a great deal of analysis can be done on her character. Her character also grew in good ways but I wish Barbie Hsu's acting had been better.
Luo Xi was also good. He kind of paled in comparison to the other two but I thought he was good enough. His many sides were good and I thought his character was quite unpredictable. I love it when characters make me think.
Now- as for the ending. They incorporated some cheesy cliches but it was all good. I love the fact that many situations and the heroine's decisions were written in such a way that we could second guess her true intentions. A lots of things which happened were debatable. Or I think it was due to Barbie Hsu's lack of acting skills. I suppose we were supposed to see a difference in Xia Mao when she was with both guys but I saw next to none. The other acts were all fine.
I think the OST was pretty great. I loved all the songs they played in the beginning, end or in between.
I recommend this drama to melodrama lovers or those who love mature dramas and like analyzing stuff.
Was this review helpful to you?
I have noticed how this drama is not received well with a lot of people. I can understand why. It's got to be one of the most depressing dramas ever. 'Missing You' falls in more of a makjang-tastic melodrama genre which could have gone wrong. For me, of course, this drama worked very well. I loved the whole plot and enjoyed every character in it.
I am usually critical of tragedy being used as a cheap means to get the plot moving. Often, including tragedy is seen as convenient for Kdrama writers when they want to create the 'shock effect' in the viewer. What sets this drama apart from so many others is how tragedy is used as a base here instead of some random, bang-up scenario. It makes room for rest of the plot to build up, leaving scope for a lot of plot development and some amazing character development- which is commendable.
The sad parts of the drama are so wonderfully done (especially the childhood parts) that they will remain in my memory for a long time. They are touching and were successful in moving me. Even the sub-plots are very interesting, including the romance.
I loved how even though a lot of bad stuff happened to its characters, they were able to bear with it. That shows us how there's hope even in the darkest of the times. Okay, I know I am making it sound like some sadistic, boring drama but it is not. It is both beautiful and poignant in many ways. It had a nice pacing and many interesting sides to it.
The cast gave stellar performances. I believe this was Yoon Eun Hye and Park Youchun's best role till date. Although I am not the biggest fan of Youchun's acting, he impressed me here. His chemistry with Yoon Eun Hye was very good and believable to me. Apart from that the child actors were TERRIFIC- especially Kim So Hyun. When she suffered, I got the goosebumps. It was that great! Kudos to the director for making it seem so real.
The OST of this drama is terrific. I recommend every one to listen to it.
Overall, this drama is a whole package with a memorable cast, a touching story, lots of tears, lots of love and a solid soundtrack. Though it doesn't have a very high rewatch value, I won't mind rewatching my favourite scenes between the main leads.
Recommended to fans of melodramas and sad stories with good endings. :)
Was this review helpful to you?
The plot is quite ridiculous honestly. It makes little or no sense. However, the cast is lovely and the main actress played her role quite well. I have seen her works previously and trust me, she has improved immensely here. This was a drama for me in which I stopped caring about the romance after midway. The murder mystery and villain was what it was all about! The villain is damn good and it helps that he was so, so attractive to look at. :D
This drama had some high-riding moments where you'd wonder who did what and why. A lot of things were wonderfully executed. For me this drama was a solid 9-9.5 till the last four episodes where things happened out of the blue.
This drama is no different from any other Kdrama because like every drama out there, it starts out with a bang and ends leading upto nowhere.
The OST was nice to listen to. It wasn't my favourite but it wasn't bad either.
I recommend this drama to people who don't mind mindless fun. Watch the first couple of episodes to judge if you like it or not.
Was this review helpful to you?
What I liked about the story was how it incorporated all K-drama cliches from years before and presented a nice, smooth story. The FEELS the drama gave me was immense. The main guy Ji Eun Ho has one of the purest loves ever in a kdrama. I loved how dedicated he was towards her and literally never thought of anyone apart from her, neither did he give up on their love.
This is one of those dramas where you won't be sure whether it will be a happy end or a sad end. The story is kind of sad throughout and when I imagined a sad ending, I really thought it would be hell depressing. But the fun part here is you won't be sure how the leads will EVER manage to have a romance or a proper relationship with each other. Plus, there are a few mysteries which keep the story interesting.
The drama is very much an old school kdrama with star-crossed lovers and a whole lot of scheming and manipulations. It was seriously so entertaining. The splendid chemistry between the leads only increased my awe for it and not lessen it in any way. The soundtrack is pretty good too.
Like all kdramas ever, the last four episodes are sort of a drag and you might find yourself skipping some scenes. I liked the ending a lot. It fit in nicely with the story. I think I made a good decision watching it but I am not sure if I'll rewatch since I hardly ever do. Highly recommended if you like melodramas and pure love stories.
Was this review helpful to you?
A great storyline, solid cast and some incredible romance is all I look for when I want to watch a romantic movie and this one had it all. I am a sucker for cuteness along with hotness which the couple in this movie possessed. :D
I have been repeatedly let down in the past by a lot of movies- be it lack of romance, excessive melodrama, lack of decent kisses/chemistry between the leads or a sad ending. However this one did not disappoint me. The leads acted well, had good chemistry and were very pleasant on the eyes. The movie has a few sad parts but it's not too overwhelming. The romance was sweet without being cheesy and the humor was good without being over the top. Every thing was just in the right amounts.
Sometimes it's good to see the girl doing the chasing than the guy. It wasn't done in a horrible way. It was just kind of sweet and the guy was too. I loved the certain innocence their love had. I liked their kisses as well. There is also a minor side romance which was also cute. The only thing I didn't like was that a couple of things in the story were not required but it seemed like they were included just to make the movie longer.
The best part was definitely the ending. It was cute and reminded me of Bollywood movies. LOL. So I'd recommend to every person who wants to watch something light with a bit of seriousness. It sure won't disappoint.
Was this review helpful to you?
Hana and Alice is a story about two best friends and their friendship. Though the whole plot while centers around both falling for the same guy, it deals with a lot of other things too. Both girls are very likable but I felt like Alice made more of an impact on me. Some of its scenes were so realistic that I felt like I was actually watching these girls in reality.
I have to commend the director because he portrayed some parts beautifully and realistically. The film has impressive cinematography and a great background score. Although it runs longer than required, its artistic shots will keep you well occupied. Also these girls played their parts so well that I can't imagine them not being best friends off screen too.
The overall mood of the film is light and dreamy. It has a poetic feel attached to it and leaves you with a feel good factor. It is relatable in a lot of ways. I am sure most of us have had some problems with our best friends once in a while. I particularly liked the ending scene because it reminds us how much of good friends Hana and Alice are.
While it does have a few boring parts, I'd suggest you skip through them. If ballet suits your taste then it is a treat for you as there is quite of some screen time devoted to it. The film also have some good humourous moments and it will leave you with a smile at the end of the film. Definitely recommended.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Far from a perfect drama and yet it will pull you in right from the first scene. I usually do not watch melodramas or revenge dramas, but this one seemed interesting enough. This drama's strength lies in its plot, cast, the great camerawork and the TERRIFIC soundtrack!! I thought the plot of this drama was really creative. A lot of things introduced in the first episode tie up well towards the later half. The revenge part and the parallel investigation by the cop were wonderful. There was no need for romance in the drama according to me. It could have done well on its own. Although it can be a bit slow at times, it won't bore you.
Kim Nam Gil is the star of the whole drama. This is my first time watching him in anything and I must say, I was totally enchanted by him. He has an amazing screen presence and acts with such depth and emotion that its impossible to tear your eyes away from the screen. I will also mention his long hair and moustache- suits him rather well. :D His character was the type you would want to see in a revenge drama. He is willing to go to any length to destroy those who did him wrong. Of course, he is very, very human and you'll see his soft side a lot of times.
Kim Jae Wook was super likable in his role. I would love to see him play a tortured guy again. He was a breath of fresh air, because he wasn't your typical doormat second lead. Although he gets too repetitive after a while, I enjoyed his acting. Plus, he's great to look at! In fact both guys are eye candies.
Han Ga In didn't impress me. She's pretty to look at and wore fabulous clothes but her character was really fickle and annoyed me at times. Her part in the drama made no difference to me. She was interesting in the beginning but went redundant later on. Her sister was a far more interesting person and she was the only HILARIOUS person in this drama.
Although its one of those dramas which screwed its ending, I wouldn't say that it ruins the drama. The drama is worth watching minus the last 3 episodes. From the beginning I was prepared for what was about to come. If I hadn't known the ending, I would have been super mad at it. So I'd recommend to be prepared beforehand by reading the spoilers or skip this drama altogether.
Bad Guy's OST will probably always be in my Top 3 Kdrama soundtracks ever. Every single song is beautiful, melodious and will make you want to listen to it over and over. Even the background scores were amazing.
I liked how this drama was filmed. Its camera work managed to capture the right tone and mood of the story.
Though this drama is not meant for a rewatch, it was entertaining enough the first time around.
Was this review helpful to you?
For starters, I am a very big lover of this manga. It isn't exactly a very smart story but what drove the entire plot of the manga had been random cuteness and a swooning chemistry between the leads. While the lead actors here are cute they fail to make me love them and rather came off as annoying. I don't know how old both actors are but I'm gonna be harsh and say they did a terrible job of their characters.
Shuusei and Aoi were unrecognizable to me as characters by the end of the film. With a story that originally hardly had any depth, the script of the film makes it shallower (as if that's even possible). Yes, the sudden romantic moments are cute but before you reach half of the film- you feel like you're watching a couple of teenagers' random romantic moments put together. The characters don't make sense and the flow of the story is practically non-existent.
I understand that not all movies have the same budget but for this the acting really ruined everything and not the lack of glamour. The humour, romance and story- everything failed me. Yet for some very odd reason I didn't hate the movie. There was something addictive about it that made me kept going. I couldn't wait to get to know what happened next nor could I wait for it to end. It was like a tug-of-war happening within me as a viewer.
One of the bright sides of the movie was the presence of Kiriyama Renn. Even his barely-there presence left more of an impact on me than the other actors could do. It was rather a waste of this otherwise talented man.
This is a harsh review and my ratings are all low and yet the overall score is fine. That's because I couldn't hate it being a fan of the manga nor could I hate the cliches in the film. As a one-time watch it hurts nobody but does stand as very forgettable in the long run.
Was this review helpful to you?
