Second Virgin (2010)

This is a dark romance with well executed plot and great acting. While it is not my favorite drama, I had to give it a 9 because it was so well done. This is one of the first serious J dramas that I did not get frustrated with due to large quantities of seemingly unnecessary tragedies befalling the characters. The story was resonant, the characters were complicated and round, and I never got bored. The ending was fitting, poignant, and took time to properly wrap all the ends. Nothing was rushed or overlooked.

I continue to be quite impressed with Hasegawa Hiroki's acting. It wasn't just believable, it was real. The chemistry between the lead couple was some of the best I've seen in a J drama.

The soundtrack was strong, and unique. There was one piece that had a wild Celtic sound to it, another that was reminiscent of "Once Upon A December" from Anastasia, as well as a variety of other music. It was used to great effect to enhance the action and different moods.

I will be rewatching this. I may already know the basic story, but the story is so rich in detail and characterization that it really doesn't matter. I also have a good ending to look forward to again.

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First of all, I give a big 10 for the chemistry and the passion, lust and love between the leads. It felt so so real like it wasn't the act at all and that is something we don't get to see every day. This is a dark romance drama with that depressed atmosphere like in old Japanese dramas which is something I really love and enjoy in dramas like that.

Suzuki was gorgeous and I get now when men write and say she's a MILF. :P Yup, no doubt she is. :P She is a fantastic actress and I love her from before in other dramas but in this one she simply shined with her personality, looks and sex appeal. Rui is one strong, confident, smart woman who didn't let emotions got in her way but of course everything fell apart and her guard was put down when Ko appeared. She is a woman who loved for her work, she is divorced and she experienced a married life, she even got a child from that married life (on top of that her child is played by amazing Ayano Go who was such a plus in this drama with his wild, rebel personality and his unique, weird sense of style and fashion, a young man who simply didn't do anything in his life aside from playing in some band for fun and taking money from his mother). But she chose career as something most important in her life at that time and she haven't felt regretful about that. Anyway from that angle her character is a very respectful and admirable one.

As for Hasegawa Hiroki, he was HOT and ATTRACTIVE LIKE CRAZY, I don't know how to put into words his expressions when he was with her, his glances, his stares, look in his eyes, his gestures, it was a mind blowing, seriously I literally felt his eyes on me. ;) Naughty naughty but yeah the main genre of this drama is romance so from that angle it was a successful one. The sparkles between them were flying all over the place, in every scene when they were together it was so impossible not to feel all those emotions and attraction, so rare to see that nowdays. And you have to take in consideration that age gap between the actors is 11 years which is also a plus more in here, you didn't feel that not for a second.
Both of the leads are a respectful people In their work and their respective jobs of publishing and stock trading play an important role in the story and contribute to the tension besides the usual plot devices for affair dramas. I like that part about their professional career, the whole show was so real with problems on their work, on solving them and although this drama is a romance one with affair going on, that wasn't the only thing and that's why I enjoyed in watching, you get to see every day problems and their daily life at work. And dialogs were written very good, whole screenplay was an intelligent one which is something very very important in dramas.

What I didn't like is his wife Marie, she was one big evil bitch, manipulative one with many complex in her life, she was a typical housewife who didn't do anything in her life except of satisfying her husband and depending on him about every little thing, soooo boring and stupid, I mean where is your life, your hobbies, your time and freedom?! Anyway she was the most awful person in this drama and a main culprit for everything. In the last episode maybe someone would or could somehow understand her but I simply didn't want that because she didn't deserve nor pity nor understanding. At least in my opinion.
Also I find the pacing really fast and just when you think a plot device is too cliched, it quickly moves on. But I didn't like that, I do love more slow pace in these kind of dramas with details, much more story and character development, somehow in historical dramas a fast pace is much more logical but in this one a big no for me. It's like I almost got to use to particular happening, dialog and scene and in the next moment it's one year later. That doesn't work for me.

Oh and the music was fantastic with such a beautiful melody, some tones reminded me of Secret Garden's music and the main song sang by Koda Kumi "Anata dake ga" graved in my heart and I'm still playing a song in my mind.
Overall I liked this drama a lot with its darkness and that old J drama feel, I liked the screenplay, the acting was brilliant from the two main leads, as for the characters I didn't like any of them cause all of them were hungry for power, money or some other things, too much selfishness and emotionless but that is why I found this drama to be different and not an ordinary one. I do recommend it to people who love mature, dark, serious plot and story with great chemistry and some real passion and who don't mind not happy and fluffy endings.
With all its flaws and this show does have them pretty much, I've enjoyed and it was my guilty pleasure.

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