A superb work

The first episode starting with the plastic covered room in which a murder was about to take place made me think about Dexter (2006). After watching that American drama series I decided I've had my fair share of cruelty and won't watch something similar again. The intensity of the entire episode and the way that lady was terrorized was noting less than the former mentioned series. Every now and then other scenes were of the same intensity and cruelty so, yes, I found myself making this parallel between the two dramas. And no, the entire drama isn't filled with grotesque cruelty. There are only a few such scenes and they are very well integrated in the fabric of the whole narrative. Watch it and you'll understand. :)

As a result, my expectations were great and fortunately the show didn't disappoint me at all. Strong and charismatic characters, exceptional actors (I would grant an award to each and every one of them), thrilling action, suave emotions, cruelty and compassion, good music, exceptional filmography, you name it. This show isn't lacking in any area/ direction. The pace was perfect, nothing was redundant and nothing was too little. Even the finale is perfect. I know many would argue with that and I know they would argue that it's only fit because a 2nd season is bound to be released, but even if this wasn't the case, what other ending would be more soul up-lifting for heroes who put everyone else's wellbeing above their own, who every minute sacrifice their own lives in order for others to continue living? They are heroes in a war as cruel, as unjust and as real as any other war. That ending actually had me feeling elevated. Of course, if I didn't know there would be a 2nd season, I would have cried. That's a given. :))) But still, I think that finale is triumphant.
It's a full-score from me.
And I'm looking forward to seeing that bad ass Jin Ho Gae mf again! Hail K action dramas! :)))))

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Sensitive and with a sense of depth

This is the first food series which didn't actually make me crave food. Maybe because I was down with the flu or maybe because they were too fancy when eating, I don't know.
But it's sensitive and with a sense of depth like most of the Japanese films. I found it very, very enjoyable.

Story: 10
As always the Japanese succeed in exploring the depths of the human heart and mind. Stories which we would usually dismiss as being trivial are told here with much sensitivity and make us rethink our way of perceiving others. Yes, we are fragile and yes, we are susceptible of changing our hearts during the course of time. We usually judge ourselves by the society's standards, thus we are susceptible to feeling guilty towards others and ourselves. And guilt is one damn mf! Fortunately this aspect was merely suggested and it didn't drag on. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to watch it. I would like to say a few more things about the story but my English isn't good enough, so I'll refrain myself.

Acting: 9
The acting wasn't all that bad, but it was unconvincing at times (i.e. when the mother was intentionally interrupting the main couple's sweet moments, their acting startled seemed quite fake to me). In the beginning, I wasn't very attracted by the actors, but they managed to gradually captivate me.

Music: 5
I just didn't like it. But it's just my personal taste/ opinion, so please don't be influenced.

Rewatch value: 8
As I have already stated in another review, I don't rewatch films. But if you're into this habit, I think it's worth it.

I would also like to add that I had a hard time seeing Sakurazawa Jun as being fashionable as it was stated in the film's description. Actually, except Sara, none of the other females was fashionable. (Especially the shoes. Oh, they were just horrible! ) But then again, it's just my personal taste, so please don't be influenced.

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May contain spoilers

Story - 10
I liked the plot, it's not something new, but I was very enthusiastic about the idea of Sand Box and the philosophy on which it was based. So for the concept of Sand Box alone I give them a full score. The pace is good (fast enough to not get me bored) and constant. (Actually the main reason I chose this series was because it has only 16 episodes. I don't like those dragging dramas demonstrating to us, again and again, some aspects. I mean how many episodes, dialogues and monologues does someone need to understand a character's depth and complexity? If the script is good and the actors are too, a scene or two are just enough. But if they are not so good, then, irrespective of the amount of time given on screen, they will not manage to convey the message meant to be conveyed. ) I also liked the fact that the love story and the business story were approximatively equally present and they were mixed together beautifully. I laughed, I cried, I had intense moments and relaxed moments; this series has them all and serves them appropriately in terms of time, quantity, quality and logic. I've read some harsh critics regarding the narrative of the plot (actually quite many), but I find them not very befitting. Probably their authors are not very observant of life or maybe they simply lack experience. During my life so far I have encountered every single aspect, situation, action and reaction presented in this series. Yes, they are real and they do occur in life. Just because I wouldn't necessarily act the same way as these characters here, it doesn't invalidate them. I would suggest: be open-minded. If I were to talk about an aspect with which I disagree, that would be someone denying their own feelings. For me it's just so hurtful and unjust. And illogic. But than again, I also saw this happen in my life so... yes, it's real. I myself have done it. I'm not proud, but I also don't regret it (not very much, just a little) because I like to think that I've learned from my mistakes. So whenever I see this cliche in Asian films my heart tightens because I've been there and I empathize quite strongly.
Acting/Cast - 10
Although I'm not a fan of any of them, I must say that the actors are good. They managed to express all sorts of feelings beautifully, especially the inner struggles related to young and inexperienced people trying to start their own business and prove themselves. The 3 boys from Sam San Tech were absolutely adorable. They made me laugh so hard that I woke up my neighbors in the middle of the night. I also liked their emotional side because it's only natural to cry when you feel defeated. I like super strong characters, but I also like those who are nearer to the average human behaviors. Yes, some people are stronger, but some are more sensitive. This doesn't make them less valuable. Of course, Kim Seon Ho outshines them all and he was the only cause of my suffering throughout the entire series. Nam Joo Hyuk/ Nam Do San is adorable but still I was thorn because I would have liked Kim Seon Ho/ Han Ji Pyung to end up happy. And that's only because his acting is so good that it made my heart ache for him so hard. And since I am of a certain age, :) my favorite character in this series was grandma Choi Won Deok/ Kim Hae Sook because she impersonates that ideal of goodness and selflessness which I'm striving to achieve in this life. :) (That was an unnecessary detail, sorry).
Music - 9
To my shame I must admit I was never interested in the soundtrack of any movie/ series. Generally the soundtracks are well matched to the works and very, very seldom was I annoyed or impressed with a soundtrack. So since the soundtrack in this series didn't make any impression on me, I suppose it was good. I scored it only 9 for this reason exactly.
Rewatch Value --
I had to score it 1 because otherwise I couldn't submit my review. Seems that's mandatory. But in reality I cannot score this one because I never rewatch a movie/ series irrespective of how much I liked it. I suppose it's something that has to do with my psychology or philosophy of life: since it's in the past, let it be in the past. Why dwell on it? However, I did rewatch 2 movies in this life of mine. :)))))) Hollywood movies.
Overall - 10
Yes, it's a good work and it's worth your time.

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A very personal point of view, so don't take it to heart

Story: 7
Not because it isn't good enough, but because it just isn't my cup of tea.
Acting: 10
And there's nothing more to add. Bravo!
Music: 7
And I'm being generous here. I suppose it was a good match, and it served its purpose, but to me, it was too loud. Extremely loud, and felt obnoxious.
Rewatch value: 1
Because I need to give a score, otherwise I would give 0. There is no need to rewatch.

I very much enjoyed the acting, the fast pace and the fact that not too much amount of time was wasted on presenting the conspiracies. For the first time, my intelligence wasn't insulted with all those unneeded details they usually give, as if people are unable of connecting the dots, or making logical deductions. (Yes, I know that many actually aren't able, but then there are us, those who are. :-D Forgive my "modesty".)
The cruelty of some scenes was too much for me to endure, but this is a personal sensitivity of mine. Also, I assume this risk whenever I decide to watch a historical drama. But still, I had to mention it. The sex scenes were also filled with a feeling of cruelty (some of them with more than just the feeling), which makes them hard to stomach. So I guess this is the reason why so many are complaining about them. Yes, they were rough and cruel, but the characters were too, and so was the general atmosphere of the film. I think everything was actually very well-matched.
Everything is more complex than I have stated here, but I'm a little bit of a slack, so I'll just stop.

Then again, the acting was top-notch.

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Wonderful Vibes and an Award Deserving Actor

 Being an avid consumer of films, I appreciate all types of stories, but being the optimist that I am, clearly I prefer the happy ones. And this is just my cup of tea. It's one of those good mood inducing pills. The series has wonderful vibes all across its length.

Suvijak Piyanopharoj truly deserves an award for the amazing job he did. I hope he gets it. And all the more appreciation for him because he is so young. Not that the other actors didn't do a good job. They did. But "Keen" literally made the entire show, he outshone everybody else by far.

 The story itself is not necessarily new and not necessarily interesting, but the main lead did such a wonderful performance that I didn't even realize it until I decided to write this review.

 The Moo character is so sunny, so innocent, so sincere, so playful and at the same time so determined, so loyal, so hardworking towards his big dreams (career and love) that it made me wonder: what if all of us were a little bit more like him? Sure, his circumstances were a little better than they are usually in real life, but still...

 Also, I deeply appreciate the fact that the film tackles the "fans" problem, and not only that. As far as I know, as a non Asian, fans in that part of the world are quite delusional in their love and support towards their idols and more often than not they have unrealistic demands. Those artists are literally denied the right to a private life of their own. Which is inhumane. I know it's a vicious circle between the moneymakers of the industry, the Asian culture and the unrealistic fans, but the fact that this problem is brought to attention in more and more films is a good sign. Let's hope that things will improve in the near future.

 Coming back to the film, it was definitely worth watching. Irrespective of the domain, a person who does well in their work is always shining and inspiring. For the feelings and the energy this show gave me, I ought to thank all the filmmakers that contributed. Thank you and bravo!

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It leaves quite an impression

It does. Whoever wanted to promote these two actors had a brilliant idea and made a smart move with this project. The artists are extremely talented and beautiful, and they succeeded in showcasing their skills amazingly. Their beauty is quite uncommon, with distinctive, prominent features. Their talent is simply breathtaking, proving them to be versatile and extremely skillful actors. They succeeded to brilliantly portray very different characters, with very different behaviors and to convey powerful, profound feelings. I was invested the whole series, in every story, to the point that I was thinking about them even at work. And trust me, my job is one which simply doesn't leave space for anything else other than itself in the brains. I am impressed.
Story #1: Dol & Sun
This is set in a fictional universe where people are able to see their soulmates when it rains. Not very appealing to me, and I must admit that for a few minutes I had doubts I could continue watching. But then the actors came and made all my doubts go away. Mick as Dol was an angelic figure (which he is by nature), and Top as Sun was a heartwarming one. The story isn't necessarily special, but the actors/ characters were so endearing that they kept my eyes glued to the screen. In this first story, I liked Dol/ Mick better than Sun/ Top.
Story #2: Prin & First
This plot was even weaker than the first one (for me at least), but again, the actors did such an amazing job that I completely forgot about the scenario. The artists switched roles: the reserved one became livelier, and the sunny, lively one became somber. Here I was equally impressed by both of them, when realizing how skillful they are. Also, seeing them portraying opposite temperaments was refreshing and fun to watch. Top as Prin was classy in a classic way, while Mick as First was simply sweet; he gave off the feeling that he wasn't even acting, he was just being himself.
Story #3: X & Namping
This scenario was a good one. With a heavy theme and profound sentiments, it was an impressive love-story, of Romeo and Juliet caliber, except separation was due to illness. Oh, and both of them are males. Sorry, I forgot. Being deeply touched by the story and impressed by the acting, I cried as if my mother had just died. I couldn't believe myself. The actors were equally impressive, brilliant and geniuses. Mick as X was quite manly, which was unexpected, given his naturally angelic features. Hats off! And when he cried over the death of his beloved, the whole universe collapsed. I believe this will stay with me for a while, and don't think I ever saw an actor crying so tragically, yet so convincing. He was simply a Grand Master of Acting. Top as Namping was another Grand Master. Being the princess that he was in this scenario, I was (and still am) in awe of his grace and delicacy; his whole being was like the shuffle of angels wings. At the same time, he was majestic. He deserved all the devotion in the universe, he knew it and he owned it.
By the time we reached this story, the artists have already travelled quite a journey: from simple, cute, endearing to serious, to heavenly creatures, or vice versa, from angelic to manly, to tragic. Also, the feelings became more and more compelling.
Story #4: Sian & Blue
This is where I liked Top/ Sian better than Mick/ Blue. Now, from the heavenly creature Namping, Top became a manly (but still with a hint of grace) and very sensual one, in order to impersonate Sian. He actually started out with a gremlin appearance, but very soon became an incredibly sexy, tempting character. Every minute, every second, he was exuding desire for his more timid counterpart. Even when he was simply leaning to the wall, waiting for Phukan to finish her conversation with Blue, he was giving off a flirtatious vibe. Mick also did a good job impersonating Blue, a character again serious and a little shy. But this time the couple's dynamic is different from the first story, because Blue is a little more honest about his desires and more playful. In his case, the change of role is rather on the side of subtlety.
Story #5: Inn & Pun
The beginning of this one is confusing because it isn't cut from the previous story, and it makes us think that we're about to see some BTS moments. Which in a sense we are. To clarify, the last scenario is about Inn and Pun, two actors who play the roles of Sian and Blue from the previous scenario.
I didn't really like this plot simply because I'm not into BTS moments, I'm not interested at all about what happens on the plateau during filming. Also, seeing the actors playing their roles while being surrounded by so many people ruins the fairy tale for me. Everything becomes artificial and looses its charm. But the actors did an amazing job again, succeeding to portray a difficult relationship, filled with angst. No sensuality this time. Even the scenes where Sian was like the god of temptation were stripped of any sensuality; they were presented like trivial acts of work made by common people at their job. The focus was purely on the feelings, and the artists did a great job emphasizing them. Inn and Pun were complicated people, with complicated feelings, and had a complicated relationship. But still, they were pure at heart. Both Mick and Top managed to impersonate their respective characters equally convincing, and I'm not sure whether I didn't forget to breathe for a while, waiting for them, as Inn and Pun, to solve their differences. And when Inn started to cry, I literally jumped off my bed screaming "No, no, no! Don't cry! Don't cry! Don't cry!" But I was already in tears. Luckily, his crying wasn't that tragic this time, and mine wasn't as bad.

In conclusion, the journey is beautiful, captivating, fascinating and satisfying. The actors gained my highest respect and BRAVO to all the filmmakers who contributed to this unique story.

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A Good Story, Well Narrated

This was actually a good thriller. A good story well narrated. A smart film, probably not meant for everyone.

I liked the freshness of the narrative. That's because I couldn't predict the next things to come, which I found refreshing. At some point I thought they were mocking my brains because some twist of events seemed illogical. But in the next episode, it became clear that the apparent nonsense wasn't a nonsense at all. I had a burning question for an episode or two, but afterward, I understood that the explanation was there all the time. It appears that I was somewhat misled by the rapid pace and intensity of the show and mistaken that explanation for hints. I also liked the attention given to the details, the symbolism used throughout the entire series, the fact that everything was well thought, well-designed, the logic was flawless and everything fell into place in terms of logical deduction. To me, it almost felt like the filmmakers were mathematicians. :-D :-D

The acting was very good, and the direction was superb.

Having included Vivaldi in the OST tracks automatically grants a 10 mark from me. But generally speaking, the music was good, well-chosen, and well-matched to the scenes. Also, it doesn't have too much of it, so it's not redundant or annoying.

I will definitely watch this show again because I'm sure I'll notice details that I missed the first time.

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