Kotori
Singapore
This review may contain spoilers
A precious drama that makes you glued to the screen to the end
I got into this drama thanks to AvenuX' Youtube channel and the many good reviews on this drama. Indeed this drama has not disappointed me.
Story:
While the drama seems to be a dramatic love story at the start, it turns out to be one of many other genres, such as crime mystery, science fiction/fantasy, and life drama - and each of them done so well and integrated into the main story. The characters have the ability to transcend one's consciousness into someone who looks exactly like themselves in the past or the future and this way slowly solving the mysteries that revolve the main couple and their friends.
While the audience thinks that they have finally figured out how the story will develop they suddenly face something completely unexpected which on one hand explains the questions in the earlier part of the story but on the other hand poses many new mysteries. Your brain is constantly engaged while worrying about the main characters' fate. The story keeps the audience at the edge of the chair, esp. the last two episodes blew my mind as it completely surprised me with a final twist that I would have never expected. Despite all the despair, the makers were able to close the drama beautifully and convincingly.
It reminds me of one of these good mystery Japanese dramas with the main storyline being the love story of the two protagonists. And for the first time, I realize that with this technique the creators were able to recreate a dramatic love story of life and death similar to 3 miles of cherry blossom or ashes of love without repeating the same concept.
Another wonderful aspect of this drama is that it manages to integrate many difficult social topics such as school bullying, homosexuality, suicide, mental issues, etc. but they don't feel forced but flow extremely naturally.
Acting:
the acting of the main leads is just outstanding. Keep in mind, the story of this drama is extremely complicated with souls transpassing bodies - if this is not well reflected in the acting, the whole drama would become a failure. But thanks to the outstanding cast, this did not happen.
I am in awe with Alice Ke and her skills. She is 35 this year and managed to play a character about half her age with two different personalities so convincingly. You immediately see which characters she is playing (even when one character is faking to be the other one, you can clearly see that!). Her emotions are always right on spot - not too much, not too little. She won the Golden Belt in 2016 and I am not at all surprised. Greg Hsu was very good too. Esp. well done is his performance playing a high-school student, a young adult, and a nearly middle-aged man. Though I was not so taken by the chemistry of the two main leads I still find their love story very beautiful and their acting superb.
OST:
The music is also a great part of the drama. Both title and ending songs are beautiful, the text perfectly reflects the mainline of the story. They also use a lot of symbols that with a close look you will find they have all their meanings. I also very much enjoy the background songs and Last Dance from Wu Bai.
All in all, a great drama worth your time and I can only recommend to anyone.
Story:
While the drama seems to be a dramatic love story at the start, it turns out to be one of many other genres, such as crime mystery, science fiction/fantasy, and life drama - and each of them done so well and integrated into the main story. The characters have the ability to transcend one's consciousness into someone who looks exactly like themselves in the past or the future and this way slowly solving the mysteries that revolve the main couple and their friends.
While the audience thinks that they have finally figured out how the story will develop they suddenly face something completely unexpected which on one hand explains the questions in the earlier part of the story but on the other hand poses many new mysteries. Your brain is constantly engaged while worrying about the main characters' fate. The story keeps the audience at the edge of the chair, esp. the last two episodes blew my mind as it completely surprised me with a final twist that I would have never expected. Despite all the despair, the makers were able to close the drama beautifully and convincingly.
It reminds me of one of these good mystery Japanese dramas with the main storyline being the love story of the two protagonists. And for the first time, I realize that with this technique the creators were able to recreate a dramatic love story of life and death similar to 3 miles of cherry blossom or ashes of love without repeating the same concept.
Another wonderful aspect of this drama is that it manages to integrate many difficult social topics such as school bullying, homosexuality, suicide, mental issues, etc. but they don't feel forced but flow extremely naturally.
Acting:
the acting of the main leads is just outstanding. Keep in mind, the story of this drama is extremely complicated with souls transpassing bodies - if this is not well reflected in the acting, the whole drama would become a failure. But thanks to the outstanding cast, this did not happen.
I am in awe with Alice Ke and her skills. She is 35 this year and managed to play a character about half her age with two different personalities so convincingly. You immediately see which characters she is playing (even when one character is faking to be the other one, you can clearly see that!). Her emotions are always right on spot - not too much, not too little. She won the Golden Belt in 2016 and I am not at all surprised. Greg Hsu was very good too. Esp. well done is his performance playing a high-school student, a young adult, and a nearly middle-aged man. Though I was not so taken by the chemistry of the two main leads I still find their love story very beautiful and their acting superb.
OST:
The music is also a great part of the drama. Both title and ending songs are beautiful, the text perfectly reflects the mainline of the story. They also use a lot of symbols that with a close look you will find they have all their meanings. I also very much enjoy the background songs and Last Dance from Wu Bai.
All in all, a great drama worth your time and I can only recommend to anyone.
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