Kimi no Hana ni Naru (2022)

A drama that exceeds your expectation

I started to watch this drama with no expectation, but in the end I got so invested in it. I've never been so invested in a drama like this for a long time.

This is the only drama I looked forward each week. I love the pace, all characters, and the story. Each character shows their growth in this drama as the story goes. And though the premise might seem simple, there's always a beautiful message that is delivered in this drama.

This drama has a very positive and heartwarming atmosphere. The main character Asuka, is my favorite. She is a very supportive character. She is the one that continuously driving 8LOOM to be better and better, to be aware of their positive sides. I dare to say: no Asuka, no 8LOOM. But it's also 8LOOM that helps Asuka to grow into a better self. I think this kind of connection is the charm of this drama.

I love how each 8LOOM's song is really connected to the storyline. I will gladly give 11 out of 10 for the music if I can. Not to mention they have amazing dance choreography too!
Please pay attention to the opening of each episode too, since it somehow gives a hint about what story will be told in that episode. The last episode has no opening, but you will understand why if you watch it until the end.
There's always a room to improve for the acting for some actors. But for me, each actor delivers the story so well. And that's the most important thing.

The chemistry between the casts is undeniably so good. Asuka and Dan always look so good together on screen. 8LOOM members are getting along so well, seems like they found another family in this drama. And you can also feel how Asuka really cares about them. I think the production team casted the perfect actor for each role.

My only concern is there's not much romantic interaction between the main couple, Asuka and Dan, despite it has romcom genre. That's why I reduce 0.5 point from the full score 10 for the story. I love the ending though, it's so typical Asuka and Dan ^_^

And since I rewatch each episode at least twice, of course I give full score for rewatch value.

Read More

Let Me be Your Knight meets Idol-the Coup with a twist and an Age Gap...

It started a 9, went up to a solid 10 but took a dive to a 7,5 and well ended up an 8,5...

While I am not one to encourage people to fall for their teacher, I did fall for the main couple in this drama, it helps that he is a pretty cold mature type and an adult when the whole falling in love part actually takes place.. but I would be lying if I did not say it bothered me a little.. That said this is the story of the burnt out teacher who finds her self as the house mom of a failed boyband who just happens to include a student at her former school who she once encouraged to pursue a career in music... the start of a very complicated journey of friendship, encouragement, jealousy, and yes tiny (very tiny )amount of romance...

I loved the boys during the first 6-7 episodes or so, the music, the fluff... whole Idol-The Coup meets let me be your knight with a Japanese twist and an age gap definitely has all the ingredients to make me completely fall in love with this show , which I did... However as the episodes passed by, the I found that they added on some of my less loved cliches and shifted focus from the stuff I loved to stuff I did not care for as much ... taking away my oh so beloved fluff, it was still ok but I felt a bit cheated by the os so Perfect for me start... But that does not have to mean that you will not enjoy the last third of the show. As it was not bad or anything... I guess I felt that several of my beloved characters disappointed me and had some negativ character development....

Being a former teacher myself I love how the female lead guides the boys and tries to dig out their full potential... I alos love the representation of different types of people in this, as it just fits in perfectly in the dialog and plot and does not feel forced. There are also a bunch of adorable animals, a unique umbrella scenen and just a whole lot of good... and it will have you smiling from ear to ear thinking ooooh so cute...

So if you like watching dramas about idols, music, people who have been completely ruined by the world try to come agin... then tis is definitely a good place to watch it. If you do not like dramas about idols, ands etc... then I wonder how come you got this far in this review as this is obviously not a drama for you.

Read More

Boy bands are the just sad

I'm seriously fed up with the whole teacher-student thing; it's just creepy. Yeah, I get that she hasn't been his teacher for five years, but I still can't get behind that dynamic. And these guys, seriously, they acted like they were thirteen-year-olds, including Dan. Age differences aren't a big deal for me if the people involved are on the same wavelength, but in this case, it just didn't click.

Now, let's talk about these so-called idols. It's like they're slaves to the band, the image, and the management company. They can't make a move without permission, can't have their own dreams, and forget about dating like normal people. And all this just to please some crazy fangirls? Plus, let's be real, the music isn't exactly groundbreaking most of the time.

Who in their right mind thinks they can control who an entertainer dates? And why the heck do they care if they're in a consenting, adult relationship? These boyband members seem to be living in a weird kind of prison, allowed on stage but trapped in a gilded cage by these managers who want to control every aspect of their lives. It's pretty depressing, and I can't get behind it.

The acting was so-so. Those emotional scenes felt more like exaggerated theatrics than genuine moments. And seriously, the whole gang turning on Asuka even though the band owed a lot to her? It didn't make sense. Acting like her holding hands with someone was some kind of betrayal? They could've just denied the romance thing since they weren't even really involved. Drawing stars on each other's hands doesn't exactly scream "relationship" to me.

Naru? Ugh, he took the cake for being the most annoying character. Always jealous of something, and his excuses just didn't add up. First, he hides Asuka's goodbye message to keep Dan around, but then he's all in favor of kicking Dan out and resists when he tries to come back. It's like, make up your mind already!

Read More

The perfect portrayal of life as idols

Starting off with eye candy casts, this drama got me to expect a lot of things.

Kimi no hana tells the journey of a boy group. While some boy group-themed drama focuses on romance (which I had to drop them), This dorama proves otherwise. The journey of their growth, which is symbolized as the growing flowers, is perfectly done. Starting from a rookie group, getting underappreciated, their struggle to make their name, the members' personal issues which were elaborated on in each episode, and of course the experience of loving someone as an artist. Everything is just in the perfect portion. Each cast did their very best to live up to their characters. This dorama perfectly portrays how idol entertainment works. The age gap storyline is also just enough and I think the chemistry between Fumiya and Tsubasa was there and heart-warming.

To make it more acceptable, they even have 3 LGBTQ characters, and even its surrounding are supportive of them. Its OSTs are also perfectly made. In the end, you will be a 8LOOMY. Definitely give it a shot if you are a fangirl or looking for a light yet fun drama.

Read More

Good Representation of the Demands on Boy Bands

LIKES:
Writing:
The student/teacher affection, was not made into something more sexual (or going over that line).
Showing the power of fans, media and entertainment companies over Boy Bands, not always being optimal, was refreshing. However the Boss Hanamaki Yuki was a much nicer version of what real life would be like, because it wasn’t about her greed for more money. This drama reminded me a lot of GOT7 (Korean boy band) in regards to supportive fans, hardship due to false rumours and the isolation and demands of being in a boy band. How their lives are not their own, as soon as they sign the contracts.

Production:
Other than the driving moments, cinematography, lighting, set locations, etc., were all well done.

Cast was well selected for their roles.
Music: the Come Again song was catchy, only song that I liked.

DISLIKES:
Music: the songs the guys performed had too much auto tuning used. When they were “singing” the songs, they couldn’t even lip sync properly (which could have been an editing issue).
Directing: wasn’t the best, and too much running around, causing pacing issues.
Writing: The 3 yrs later, showing the guys of 8loom being in the future, was in conclusive and didn’t show their growth at all. Same for the supporting people in their lives. So the series felt unfinished.

OVERALL:
It was an easy watch, but some moments just dragged on. In terms of rating, it could be watched by early teens and up. For people who like boy bands, I would recommend they watch this. I won’t watch it again.

Read More

An Easily Forgettable One

I watched this show because I am trying to complete a 2024 challenge and I had previously watched Takahashi Fumiya in a movie. I didn't have high hopes going into it. I am honestly glad I didn't.

I believe that if the drama had been just about a coming of age story of seven young adults trying to make a name for themselves in the already over-saturated idol industry, it would have been a better story than what I got. However, as with many other dramas regardless of the country they were produced in, they tried to squeeze in romance where it doesn't belong. The romance aspect of the show was awkward and underdeveloped and it seemed to be used as a catalyst to make Dan realize there was more to life than the group and so he would rethink his attitude towards the wants and needs of his fellow bandmates. Since you know, now he has aspirations outside of the group. Asuka, the object of Dan's affection, had been Dan's high school teacher before she burnt herself out with her people pleasing behavior and then she was their housemother. Because of this, it was difficult for me to see her as anything else than their mentor. Hence, the little bit of randomly shoved in romance scenes were difficult to swallow. Why does there always need to be romance? Why?

The characters were superficial, but the acting was decent enough for me to be able to sit through the whole thing. My biggest gripe when it referred to the characters was Asuka. She like many other female leads in J-dramas I have watched, was irritating due to their pathetic and people pleasing disposition. However, despite my dislike for her character, Honda's acting was also decent. If you learn one thing from this drama, I hope it is how to say "NO". The one surprise (at least for me) and that I enjoyed was that there were quite a few gay characters in the show.

The songs were mellow, generic, made to sound pretty, and so even the worst of singers could sing it without too much effort. The last song they sang sounded terrible which is why I believe they were made this way for the non-singers. Because of this, t lacked any emotional impact. Additionally, the choreography did not seem to match the mood of the music.

Despite this drama being fairly short, I watched it in just one day, I will not watch it again. So, it has a very low rewatch value for me. These are my thoughts about the drama, the review is not made to convince anyone to watch it or not. If you enjoyed it, good for you. If you want to watch it, go ahead. Decide for yourself if it's worth your time or not.

Read More

A wonderful journey

I stumbled upon this drama coincidentally and has been hooked up since the 1st episode.

This drama offers a fresh point of view, that (might) have never been used before. It taught us to pursue our dream at our best, better than regretting latter.. on the other hand, we should also not leave what makes us happy.. a very good message and heartwarming drama for closing the year 2022.

As I watched the drama, I felt that I grew with Bloom themselves, and became attached till the last episode. Every aspect of the story is beautifully presented with a good storytelling and presentation.

I highly recommend this drama especially for those who stand idols. The year 2022 has been difficult for us idol's fans (especially me a tomoon, Oneus fans.. please check them if you're interested :)) that (a) some member(s) left the group (treasure for example).. and we can see closely and feel the emotion in this drama.

Now that 10 eps have finished, let's hope for a spin off, movie, or maybe 2nd season :D

Read More

I don't watch a lot of Jdramas because if I am honest they almost never score higher than a 7.5 as a rating for me. I can't even completely pinpoint why I always feel that way, maybe because they always feel like something is missing? This one is no exception. I liked this in a lot of ways. It is an easy mini series and I liked the characters and music. I enjoy the delve into the entertainment industry and the brotherhood portrayed not just within the band but with the support from their 'rival' band as well.

If you go into this story thinking it will be a romance then you won't find that here. Romance it just kind of grazed and only with one of the band members. The romance also did not work for me in two ways. First the only chemistry I saw between the two was the teacher student relationship amd the second is in the age gap which is very unclear and never really said in the series but I assume she is between 6-10 years older than him. Asuka was portrayed very well as the housemother that gave advice and helped to support all the boys and to me I saw the same energy from her with all the members and never got a romantic vibe from her for Dan. On Dan's end I could easily see his crush but it did not feel reciprocated to me.

I did think this had a somewhat realistic portrayal of the pressure and hardships put on pop bands in the industry with these hard to live up to expectations put on them. But I also think that it was glossed over as well. You are exposed to the 'downfall' of the band due to a scandal but then barely given any context or follow through about it. Same with the rise in their success. Maybe it was because it was a miniseries but it felt incomplete.

I did enjoy watching this; loved the acting and performances given by the cast, and enjoyed the music.

Read More

A Worthy Drama that deserves more recognition and praise

I would like to talk to you about an underrated drama that is simply delightful and refreshing. I watched it in just two evenings!

STORY

Although the plot is not very original, this drama is very pleasant to follow. Each episode leaves us eager to see the next one, and that's exactly what I did. The story is well told (from I hate you to I love you), the characters are sufficiently stereotyped without falling into clichés, and it makes watching the drama very enjoyable. I particularly liked the unique personality of each character, which allowed me to become attached to all of them. In addition, the interaction between the characters is very interesting, as most of them are interdependent.

However, the last two episodes are a little less successful than the first seven. The plot is less well developed and the justifications for the disputes are sometimes absurd and awkward. Too bad! But overall, the story is good.

ACTING

All the actors are excellent and transported me into the story. I shared moments of joy and sadness with them. I would like to particularly mention the performances of Yamashita Coki (Onodera Takara), Tsuna Keito (Furumachi Yukiya), and Uchida Yuki (Kousaka Sumire) who were really remarkable in their roles. Although the character of Nakamachi Asuka was a bit too cliché and fictional, the actress did an admirable job. The past of Nakamachi Asuka was not very well written, but it did not detract from the quality of the actress's performance.

MUSIC

The music was very successful and I even added some songs to my Spotify playlist. Really nice!

REWATCH VALUE

I don't think the last two episodes are successful enough to make me want to re-watch the drama. But it's a very pleasant experience to live through once!

Read More

I enjoyed a lot of things about this drama. It's not completely realistic with how things really work in the idol music industry, but the drama is very intentional about showing the group actually doing the work of being an idol group. They're practicing their choreography, they're doing performances, they're going to photoshoots, they're writing their own songs, and they're facing some of the sorts of challenges you would expect for a group attempting a comeback after falling out of popularity. Group members struggle with figuring out the best pathways to take in their lives, they get into fights and disagreements because of stress and pressure, and they frequently recommit themselves to each other and the hard work it's going to take for the group to come back. It can admittedly get a bit saccharine and dramatic at times, but more often than not, I felt sympathy for these boys rather than annoyance or second-hand embarrassment. I would say this aspect of the drama is where it shines most.

There are some story choices towards the end that are admittedly head-scratching, even if they mostly make sense. The most head-scratching is when one of the members voices his very strong opposition to the leads dating. His opposition has nothing to do with the leads very sizable age gap (which I will get to in a minute), but because a relationship between them would divert the male leads focus away the group, and apparently, the group should trump every other area of his life. This is obviously a nonsense attitude (although it's certainly how the record labels themselves would like their artists to act), and it also comes semi-out of nowhere. There are hints leading up that this character is bothered by something, but you never would have guessed this was the thing they were bothered by. Personally, I think the drama would have been better served by either removing or toning down this plot point, because doesn't serve the story, and it actually ignores the very real problem with the romance.

And that is that this romance has an unnecessarily large age gap. If the male lead had been just a bit older or the female lead just a bit younger (or better, he had been a bit older And she had been a bit younger), I wouldn't have had a problem. But he's quite a bit younger than her, to a degree that the mental gap is just too wide. She was also his teacher in high school years prior which adds another uncomfortable layer. A better scenario would have been for her to be an assistant teacher when she worked at his school, maybe 23 or 24 years old and getting work experience so she could eventually become a regular teacher, thus lowering the age gap to more along 5 or 6 years. I could have been more comfortable with that. The romance is admittedly very subtle and left somewhat open-ended at the end. I think it's pretty clear they get together in the last scene, but other viewers got a different impression, so your mileage may vary.

And I can't end this review though without telling you my absolute favorite thing about this drama. The soundtrack. This drama's songs are literal Bops, nicely weaved into the storyline as songs being written and performed by the drama's fictional group, 8loom. It's amazing just how much they add to the drama. I'm 100% going to buy them on iTunes, and if you enjoy Jpop or Kpop, etc. I imagine you'll probably love these songs too.

Overall, this drama has its charms and its flaws. It's not one of my favorite dramas I've ever watched, but it was a fairly pleasant and satisfying viewing experience, flaws notwithstanding.

Read More

Wow, that last episode hit me!!

I happened upon this show quite by accident. The idol group has been done, but get a bunch of guys together, fill the room with their testosterone, and there will be drama! They were young, immature, foolish, just like every other young man in the world. Add to that the pressure of constant practice, your life basically being an open book, and the demands of fans (whether fair or not) and this was an interesting watch.

I was initially concerned about the age gap, but it was very downplayed, and at the end of the drama, they were both adults.

My rating of this show went up mostly because of the last episode. Up until then I was probably at a 6-7. I have to say that I cried through most of the last episode. The struggles/dreams/separation of 8loom are eerily close to a current K-pop band, so this really affected me. I was moved by the heartfelt conversations by the members to their fans from the stage, as well as the beautiful show of support by the fans. It was very touching.

If romance is your main reason for watching this you will be greatly disappointed, it is by no means the focus. After reading a lot of comments, the ending seems to be open enough to allow for you to decide what happens to the couple. I, in my little romantic heart, believe that they were beginning a relationship.

It's a quick watch and I'm glad it found me.

Read More