This review may contain spoilers
More than just a romance drama featuring an older woman-younger man
Before we get to it, let me warn you that this review contains a lot of spoilers regarding the drama and the overall plot and hence, proceed at your own risk.As always, let me start of this review by providing a brief summary of the plot. In short, the drama tells the story of a 36-year-old Hidaka Izumi, CEO of a start-up game production company who vows to change Wataru Igarashi, an uncultured 23-year-old to become a person just like ‘Kento Sama’ - a fictional game character and her ideal man.
At first glance, one would assume that this is just another romance drama featuring an older woman and a younger man however, there’s more to it than just that. In some ways, the drama is a complete opposite of what one would expect based on the synopsis. In the sense, the drama doesn’t just focus on the romance aspect but also touches on themes such as ‘Friendship’, ‘Sense of Belonging’ and ‘Fandoms’. Therefore, it can be said that the romance is more like a subplot than the main focus which I personally didn’t mind. Secondly, I also really liked the fact that there are no villains in this series which is rare in dramaland (if you ask me). Next, another aspect I absolutely loved was the acting which was convincing and cringe-free. All the actors did a brilliant job thereby, making the drama a lot more engaging. Additionally, I must also add that the budget for the drama seemed to be on the high-end cause the cinematography and the props used were of really good quality. And lastly, I really liked certain aspects of the plot (emphasis on ‘certain’) and found them quite relatable especially the scenes where Wataru is trying yet struggling to learn new skills and the scene where Izumi completely lost interest in the one thing she really liked. For some reason, those scenes really spoke to me.
Now, regarding my dislikes, although I don’t have any major complains but I was slightly dissatisfied with one particular aspect of the plot - Our leads dating other despite having feeling for one another. I get the fact that these things happen in real life too but I’m personally unsure as to how I feel about it cause it really made me feel bad for their significant others especially in Izumi’s case. Her decision to date her colleague just to ensure he remains by her side was off. On any other day, I would have applauded her decision but in this instance, it just came across as forced and unnecessary. Honestly, in the end, I just feel that had the leads been honest about their feeling from the onset, they probably would have been able to avoid the unnecessary heartache. But I’m glad they corrected it towards the end.
All in all, this was a good drama with a solid start which unfortunately declined slightly in the second half only to pick up in the finale. But with that being said, I’d still wholeheartedly recommend the series to those looking for a drama with a mature yet realistic romance.
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This review may contain spoilers
Despite having a few dull moments, it's still an entertaining watch...
The show definitely takes you on a ride of emotions. You'll get happy, sad, frustrated at times, but you can't stop watching. The show is just a rom-com, but it still manages to give its audience a few messages that we're aware of, but often end up overlooking in life...Story:
Even though the story wasn't something new, as you can tell from the description, I liked the way it was executed. I liked the way the story was developing, until it started to get a little boring in the middle. It can get a little frustrating to watch, but if you're patient enough, you'll be able to enjoy the show.
Characters:
The FL is an amazing character. She is a strong woman who's worked her way up to being the president of a company that makes otome games. She's a very nice person, and always thinks about the people she cares for. She's passionate about her job. But, she's not quite the perfect character she might sound like. She has flaws too. She makes mistakes just like any other human being, but that didn't make me not like her. I actually like her character, even though her actions sometimes upset me.
The ML starts off as a character with no hope. He doesn't like working hard, and neither does he have any manners. He's rude, but I like the fact that he was always straightforward. The character development that he has is amazing, and I really love his character. I didn't even remember the kind of character he was in the beginning...
The supporting characters do an equally good job. I like the second female lead the most. Despite the common trope, she's not a bad person. She's a very confident, smart and nice woman. All the characters in the show have a really strong bond and it's lovely...
The Music:
'Runaway' by Dean Fujioka and 'Love song' by URU are absolutely amazing songs. The catchy theme song for the opening and the ending song really make the entire show experience a lot better. The background music is also pretty good.
Spoiler to the ending:
If you're wondering if it's a happy ending, it depends on how you see it. Despite the many obstacles in the leads' way, they end up together. I wanted to see more of them cuz' they are really cute together, but, I get that there wasn't enough time left. Everyone gets a happy ending. The show ends on a positive note.
I really enjoyed watching this show. Kinda sad that it's the end but, I really loved it. I'd definitely recommend it to someone looking for a light rom-com, but there are a few heartbreaks in the show too. I'm surely gonna miss this show...
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The FLs journey in reclaiming her lost Integrity & Passion + Jovial character dynamics .
What an unterrable disappointment the FL has become— The once decisive and keen to details FL has gradually falter and eventually brokedown due to her dishonesty and selflessness.At first look, this production may appear to have the usual J-Drama trademark of warm, light and mellow vibe however deep inside it has this complicated and unsettling occurences that made me frustrated quite a bit— The FLs constant dishonesty towards her feelings has cause her to lose her self-worth, decisiveness and integrity that eventually resulted to greater issues that could've been avoided in the first place... Well I know that this is a drama and those are parts of the plot but I just find it quite weird that a timeskip has happened yet the FL is still indenial about her feelings and even made things more complicated by making decisions that she herself find bothersome and confusing as well.
This drama could've gotten a lot more interesting if they escalated things faster considering that they need to squeeze all of it with the remaining 4 episodes. I just find it too rushed when they shove all the resolutions and concluding events at the finale, when they could have it installed on the previous episodes one by one. Nonetheless, I would say that they wrapped things up neatly and I'm also glad that they didn't worsen the other 'supposed' major twist because that would be a lot to bear considering all the unresolved bagages the FL have.
Moving on, I still love a lot of elements from this story; specially the way it motivates people to enjoy life by spending quality time to the things you valued the most as a way to keep your motivation, passion and drive. + The way they mentioned that money shouldn't only be spent on things that you can see and eat but also to the intangible things that keeps you inspired and going.
Lastly, I really like the MLs initial character demeanor— his obliviousness and ignorance may have been irritating at some point but it do provides a lot of comical relief to the drama. + I love that the team was created for specific roles that truly matters and not just some extras that has no purpose whatsoever. I also enjoyed their overall vibe and dynamics that sums up to their chemistry as a whole.
P.S. The FLs occasional 'kento-sama' swooning moments still gives me chills, so thank god they keep it at bare minimum. Hahaha!
Story - 9.0, The story is good it's just that they wasted so much time in making the FL uncertain about herself that made her character really frustrating a lot of times + The way they squueze everything at the final episode still felt like a missed opportunity to me. Aside from those, the rest are really well done specially the way they value someone's passion towards that one thing they love that keeps them moving.
Artists/Cast - 10, The set of artists' who acted on their respective roles did great and I never even once got bothered by their acting. They exude this comfortable and energetic vibe that made their overall dynamics colorful, vibrant and warm.
Music - 9.5, Honestly, I was kinda indifferent towards the Opening song cause it sounded really weird to me but the gradual listen did it's magic. I think this drama only has 3-4 BGM including the instrumentals and they're all good specially the ballad one. I just really have some initial issues with the opening so does explain my score.
Rewatch Value - 9.0, It's one of those dramas I wouldn't watch again personally. The FL has already left a lasting impression to me for being the BEST yet became one of the most mentally-challenged when it comes to her indecisiness towards love which affected everything.
Overall - 9.0, The overall theme of the drama is good, as expected from J-Dramas unique way of choosing a subject to expand it's views, struggles and values. The only thing I have a beef here is with the FL characterization and the sequence of how they handled the concluding factors of the story. Aside from those this drama is good and still worthy to watch.
IF you find my review helpful please let me know.
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A very subtle yet exciting story.
So first of all, I watched this drama for Watanabe Keisuke, so of course I started this drama with many expectations. While the first episode wasn't really entertaining (but it was NOT bad though), the series eventually gets better and better each episode. I personally agree with everyone's opinion of the second half being a little off, but I honestly think that is what made the ending one of the best.The plot may seem toxic and all, but after seeing the first episode, you may realise how it's not that bad or toxic AT ALL, and the story's development is also very well made.
One thing I still can't get over is the cast and characters. The casts are not only really talented and plays really well as their characters, but they also have the perfect chemistry a whole team of love would have. The relationship between every character is just so wonderful and also realistic.
The romance is honestly went from normal, to low, and went high towards the end, yet and it's very subtle. I have watched a lot of rom-coms so far and one thing I hate the most about rom-coms is the cheesy dialogue, cringey stuffs, and unnecessary things. I love how everything spoken in this is very realistic and also gives out very important messages.
And finally, I'd like to say that if you're planning on watching this, this is something you shouldn't drop by the first episode of halfway. The story has it's ups and downs, but if you stick along, it's very worth it. Overall, a very well made drama and honestly loved every second of it.
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High on living your dreams, low on romance
Story: The story was cute. There were underlying stories that were handled very well also. As BTS ARMY, I really appreciated the story about liking an idol - the public's perception that the idol belongs to them, and that they shouldn't have their own private life. We tend to not think about that. There was also the story about not being able to express your true feelings for someone because society frowns on it - it was handled with sensitivity, and I loved the "resolution" of him being honest and changing the government. I didn't care for the main leads dating others, knowing that they liked someone else - that makes it feel too much like "love the one you're with" and diminishes their feelings for each other, in my opinion. I would have liked to have seen them have more time together, and the ending felt rushed, per the usual MO of Asian shows. The workers at the company were fun to watch and I liked how they have made themselves into a family of sorts, caring for and watching out for one another.Acting: The acting was good and not overacted as we sometimes see in Japanese dramas. They have also toned down the exaggerated movements and facial expressions, so I was able to feel that I was watching real people, not just caricatures.
The piano music throughout was good and kind of blended into the background for the most part.
I won't rewatch this for two reasons: 1) Not enough romance. 2) My "to watch" list is so long that I'll probably never get to all of them.
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The FL, CEO of a video game company, meets her ideal man (with a look similar to her favorite character) but whose behavior is detestable. She decides to help him so that he is up to the character. Work, cohabitation, love, separation, economic problems ...
The story is well written, realistic. The actors are awesome (all of them, including the supporting roles).
Sad and painful times, however, last too long. I do not understand the spirit of sacrifice of Japanese lovers, who separate for the "sake of the other
A good drama (but in which you will not laugh).
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