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StefAnd

Archipelago

StefAnd

Archipelago
Completed
Tenshoku no Mao-sama
4 people found this review helpful
Dec 18, 2023
11 of 11 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers

Well conveyed dreams

The series are unique depiction of job searching company. This alone attract my interest to take a sip on it. Good narrative has protagonist and antagonist to create tension along the story arcs. While the dorama has protagonists, the antagonist remained on first arc. Subsequent arcs do not have any antagonists, so we won't find any common tension found in normal stories. I suppose the early antagonist was created as pilot propelling the story abound. That being said, the story keep intriguing to the end. You see, this was relayed as episodic journal of job seekers. Yes, single job seeker per episode. Although some episodes intertwined couple clients, like the final one.

Theme per episode has practical wisdom in it, usually in ML line within the episode. FL said the theme line once to show how she had groomed to a full-fledged career advisor. The story actually shown that ML returned favor for FL, previously saved him from despair albeit she didn't remember initially. It was beautifully construct, subtle and strike to the heart. To summarize the arcs:
1. FL succumbed from blood-sucking job and superior.
2. FL started job in her aunt company.
3. FL gradually healed, both her mental and physical. She can actually taste again!
4. ML-FL growing bonds, attraction tension.
5. Third party MS interested in FL.
6. Aforementioned MS inducted to regulars.
7. Closure to ML past and properly healed by FL.
However, due to time constraint some segments seemingly forced and like too easily flipped. That is one of my complaints.

Acting of both leads are top notch, very natural. You can see the relationship curves so smooth. From slight chemistry to strong close ones. This was my first exposure to Fuka Koshiba, I am impressed. I will watch her next in Nami yo Kiitekure. Then again, because of the episodic nature of the dorama they need different guests per episode to cast in. This is hit and miss, some are good some are not so good. To sum them all it was so-so, a pity should they have brought stronger guests the impact of the episodes would be more gritty.

Opening theme portrays ML characteristics, funny I say listening them for so long. Ending theme got mellow hinting romantic. I have no objection of both, seen coloring the dorama atmosphere.

Should I rewatch them? I rarely rewatch doramas, but this one I will save it for later due the unique theme it brings.

ps: thank you for fatemasubs subbing project I can watch them in delight!

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Completed
Train
3 people found this review helpful
Apr 29, 2021
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.5
This review may contain spoilers

Awful Motherhood vs Love Transcending Universe


The story itself is nothing original, many have tried to explain the parallel universe concurrently live on. Yet this drama has something unique intrinsically, that is love interconnecting the characters. The execution was wonderful too, keep me at my edge of seat every episode on. There are not many plot gaps, so I can enjoy it nevertheless.

The protecting instinct of a mother contradicts with her duty to nurture her son for a better man. Thus, I can say the fallacy of the motherhood was caused by her disease and her own trait. That being said, the act of multi-murderous of the son too was not all at her mother fault. His own will too caused it albeit his disease may contribute some too.

On the other hand, the ripple of the first murder at the same time causing love sparks. The umbrella was given approximately the same time female ML's father was killed. That love grows for 12 years. In world A it was nurtured closely, while in world B kept silently.

For the acting, both ML gave their best. However, YSY needs to be more subtle expressing his emotions. He seems more fragile than he should be. But I have weakness for KSJ, since I first catch her glimpse at HUSH. In world B she tried to convey her gesture proportionately as to her experience in the world. Contrary to the world A, her walks looks dragged like a lifeless being.

As the supporting was hit and miss. While most of the supporting police force was good acted, both antagonists has some to be said upon. The son is well-acted, portrayed to a sick person to the bone. The mother not so, her acting even in world A was not impressive.

The music was spot on, ending theme performed by Jo Wan Sun illustrating how a lover will never cease to chase his/ her love. Soundtrack too was appropriately accompanying the ambient atmospehere built by the tense suspense.

All in all, the drama is definitely must watch for those crave for love, suspense, and a bit of sci-fi/ mystic drama.

PS: the admins should add the romance genre to this drama ^^

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Completed
Empire of Lust
2 people found this review helpful
Sep 27, 2022
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 8.5

Misleading Title Upheaval

I feel the urge to write this as seeing people kind of disappointed with the movie. I empathize their disappointment since the hot scenes scattered were not explicit or long enough. The kingdom(not empire) itself wasn't that lewd. Even the king himself slept alone, never engaged in any sexual activity. Perhaps he already reclusive in celibacy vow? The title will fit more in Tinto Brass' Caligula. There you'll find the true lust there is, so decadent he lost his soul.

As for the story, how fictitious it may be it deserved a laudatory applaud for creative penning and imagination. The evil prince in the end was disclaiming the story as he ordered them to be erased from history. Here you will find romance, politic, social condition of the period. The costumes and production value of the flick was great, I couldn't ask for more.

The acting is natural, somewhat believable. However, there are several times when the actors twitched. They were negligible though. You need to look at closer eye to know them. Both the ML and FL had sculpted body. You can see Shin Ha-kyun's muscle-fat ratio so gorgeously. He had a very fit body. Well, Kang Han-na too had a very good proportional body of her own.

The music is adequately decent to accompany the atmosphere of the plot. Nothing special though, a bit forgettable.

Should you re-watch it? I would, since I am bit of loss to find the raped girl was actually FL. I kinda slipped that scene portrayal, since the face is a bit obscured for me.

8.4 overall
Never judge book by its cover

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Completed
Call Boy
2 people found this review helpful
Mar 27, 2021
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

Hardship is necessary to shine

This is my first review I posted here, nevertheless I hope I can help to give my insight a bit about the movie. I am sorry in advance should any typos or grammar errors incurred here.

The movie generally tackles Oedipus Complex in a beautiful way. Thus, the explicit scenes incorporated was not gratuitously given, but necessarily inherent to the story as her late mother's last word.
"I'll be back before it gets dark.
Be a good boy and stay warm in bed.
Alright, Ryo?"
Of course we do not warm our beds by manner of ironing, but to have company in bed. The words are the first lines in the movie, lingering inside MC head while he dreamt of her departure. It also recurred later while he opened up his heart.
The tear scene also come near the end of story, after the surreal explicit scene. Makes it almost a round narration.

It was trying to say however hardship a person gone through, he/ she would make it in any way to survive. Hence MC make his own flaw to his trade even the best among his peers. Even though there is some gay perversion here nothing too much like gay movies would.

Unlike most explicit scenes movies, the movie was filmed subtly and satisfying. The editing too was gentle and felt natural. I can't comment much about the cinematography since the movie rarely shot panoramic, if there is any.

Characters are well developed to support MC prominent role. I can say they all acted naturally, except for Sakura. But maybe that is only my preference, for I've only seen her in Antiporno. She was doing better there. MC worth to note as he acted superbly, from novice to advanced having matured by work.

Soundtracks here was made originally to accompany the narrative. Ending music was Mr. Wonderful by Peggy Lee, it was like a revelation tribute to MC. Excellent song pick, the music and lyric matched so well to conclude the atmosphere.

I definitely would watch it some other time I find convenient, but I cannot recommend this well-made movie to anyone since the explicit scenes may offend some. That's it wrapped, thank you for reading and enjoy the movie.

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Completed
What She Likes
1 people found this review helpful
Jan 29, 2023
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

A Touch to Coming Out Gay

"Every knot got untied"
STORY
It started simple in a school. A guy bumped to a girl bought a BL merch. She was afraid of him leaking out her tight-kept secret. Henceforth, she asked him out to accompany her buying other merch on Sunday. Unexpectedly she fell for him. After weeks struggling she finally confessed to him. Their feelings were mutual. Thus, she marked her Double Peace signature.

After sometime they tried to make it out in his home. They failed. The girl started to introspect her shortcomings. Was it her chest? So she drank milks. (like it would matter@.@) Was it her hair or her make-ups? Little did she know when she called his name, he remembered his "seme" called out to him. Therefore he couldn't erect it.

The next encounter was happened in town-onsen, perhaps like Japanese modern spa. His seme kissed him, she threw a water baloon to their lips. This was the first knot, Makoto the "seme" shouldn't done this knowing he would got caught by his wife orJun's girlfriend. The worse response was blurt out by Jun, "Does it matter?" answering Sae's query.

Next day they meet-up at backroom of the class. Jun clarified his true feelings. Sae didn't know whether she should break him up. Unfortunately the second knot coming when Ono, their classmate purposely listened to them. And scream it out loud in the gym full of what-not. (Are you for real?)

Of course the hell is coming up to Jun the next day with the whole school knowing his. He misunderstood Sae leaking his truth and rebuked her. That day Ryohei, his childhood friend, reminisce about watermelon promise they made. Back in class prepping for PE, busy body Ono evicting Jun feared for his body drooled over. Eventually, Jun jumped over the window after saying, "We'll meet again after 100 watermelons grow" to Ryohei. Luckily it was only second floor. So bruises and broken limbs were guaranteed not life-threatening act I suppose.

In hospital, Sae asked Jun to come for the last time to watch her awarding of her painting. She won city-wide high school accolade. He come albeit late to avoid gaze and sneer. Her speech was her coming out being her as "fujoshi". It was a heart-wrenching speech. I myself dotted tears. In this the second knot got untied when Ono aware of his mistake and cried over a ramen cup. They got along well afterwards. Jun didn't hold grudge against him.

The first knot was untied when Jun decided to break-up with Makoto. It was well deserved ending for him having family and such. The last fragment was Jun visiting his deceased online friend. And, ultimately the big knot is untied. when Sae decided to break him up seeing him going to Osaka.

After credit we finally can see her prize-winning painting. "Hatsukoi".

ACTING
Yamada Anne did it again. Her performance was top notch. The Male Lead felt like woods sometimes, but maybe that is due to her role as "Uke" to be timid. The supporting characters are adequate, none standout of their performances. Except maybe for
Maeda Oshiro. His light-hearted childhood friend role helped lighted out the dim ML performance.

MUSIC
I do not remember nor heard any music worth mentioning here. They talked about Queen, but did they really played it there?

REWATCH
Easily re-watchable just for the cinematography. I like the transitions and subtle nuances they brought it out. e.g: From the Sea World's aquarium to home aquarium, The sunset billboard on the final scene.

ps: I didn't watch the drama so I have none to compare. I just see as what it was.

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Completed
Okitegami Kyoko no Biboroku
1 people found this review helpful
May 25, 2021
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 9.5

Sorry Memory

Is memory a blessing or a curse? Whatever it is I believe memory forms what we are now. A person without memory is kinda empty shell with no soul hence. Despite the difficulties in weaving the story, yet the writer still managed to make it entertainingly bliss. Even-though brain stores memory, body still contain what we call habit due a person usual chores like bathing, eating, anything basic a human need.

In general, this is a romance drama in disguise as a mystery one. Main Lead keen of mystery novel lead her to be a detective herself. Her partner inherently unfortunate due to his name. However her charm of cherishing today only spray him to be more optimistic of his life. His only beneficial trait is perseverance, he never gives up wherever he works. Therefore, he gains more skills than his peers of the same age. Like Jack-of-all-trades, he grasped anything the work has been given to him. Only time then he comes to be ML's Watson.

Both ML actings are excellent, so convincingly natural. Like chemistry bonded to them. Female so skeptical as she is brilliant, while male how awkward he is then overcoming any obstacle to capture her heart. I think the turning point was in ep.08 when the investigation of her life commenced.

There is opening theme and closing theme. Though I don't fond of them, I find those are befitting to the drama. The score is more appropriately accompanying through within. Yes, the score 8.0 is for the soundtracks along the drama not the song themes.

Should I re-watch it? Definitely, when I have the time soon.

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