The Sweetest Drama Ever!

Teasing Master Tagaki-san is an absolute delight to watch. This live action adaptation is reminiscent of a time when Jdoramas delivered well written and beautifully told stories, not unlike (similar to) last year’s Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san.

I found myself transported back in time to when I was a youth living in a much more simple world faced with similar experiences. Teasing one another was something that happened. Sometimes, it had the desired effect, a reaction that actually meant something, other times it was not so great.

What we have is a young couple, in all but name, sharing the common bond of enjoying each other’s company even if Nishikata was forever on the losing end of the teasing exchange.

I thought the young actors did a marvellous job. Takagi with her smiling face and Nishikata always looking dazed or confused when he had lost another exchange.

There are some beautiful moments: being with each other at the beach, reaching the shrine at the top of the hill or simply walking to and from school.

This show is worth three and a half hours of your time. I’m looking forward to the movie which is set ten years later. It has its release in Japan within the next two weeks.

Read More

A Solid Watch To Fill Gaps In Your Viewing Schedule

The North South reunification is one of my favourite Kdrama genres. Each drama I have watched on this issue have provided a different take on the subject whether it’s sleeper agents, defectors, unusual happenings in the demilitarised zone, families hoping to reunite one day or just as a romantic or even comical back drop. So, I didn’t hesitate to start watching My Military Valentine.

What I found with My Military Valentine is that it adds another dimension to the list of shows on this subject of reunification that is worth a look.

We have an idol who starts out as coming across as entitled and likes getting his own way. However, this quickly dissipates as we get to see the real Lloyd unfold. When he comes up against who will be his platoon commander and the centre of his affection, the hijinks begin.

Baek Young Ok Is a complex character formed by her military upbringing in the North from a young age. She has a deep grievance as a result but does her duty as required. Meeting Lloyd in essence opens the door on a world where she can maintain her serious pursuits but also let her emotions start to show.

Throughout its run, My Military Valentine explores each character’s experiences regarding the North. We get to see the sadness of experiencing loved ones lost, the hope for a better life in a city designed to bridge the reunification gap and a terror organisation hoping to bring the whole thing down. We even get to see a bit of “bromance among” the elite military team.

Lloyd and Young Ok are solid as the OTP. They have up and down moments due to others trying to get in the way of their blossoming relationship. At times, their interactions, thanks to Lloyd, are quite comical, even endearing.

Show has plenty of action and intrigue. It tries to keep you guessing as to who the bad guys are. Although I had some issues re the technical military side of things e.g. how snipers went about their tasks, I didn’t find show disjointed as some found.

I thought the shorter length episodes worked. Would show have benefitted from another episode or two? Yes. At the end of the day, show doesn’t take up too much time and is a pleasant way to fill in any gaps you have in your viewing schedule ??

Read More

A Good Action, Spy, Thriller

This is a movie with many familiar kdrama faces and then some. The actors, made it all seem effortless but entertaining at the same time. Hwang Jung Min doesn’t make many films or dramas, but when he does star in a show, it’s always worth a look.

Overall, it was a decent spy/action/thriller that starts to hit its straps around the 45 minute mark. Up until then, it was a bit ho hum for me and not all that interesting except, however, I knew at some point, the leads would start to deliver - and they do.

This movie had a decent budget and the action scenes bear this out. The movie sets were utilised well - not too many, so the budget was used effectively.

Yum Jung Ah as the jaded detective captain who relies on her house husband turned in a very relatable performance. Jeon Hye Jin turned in another good performance and I would like to see her in more roles like this one.

At the end of the day, it was a movie well worth an afternoon watch on the weekend. Grab some lunch or popcorn and a drink, settle in and enjoy the ride ?

Read More

The Trailers Promised Much

Season 2 was watchable. However, what should have been a blockbuster continuation, failed to materialise. It took some time for show to get its game face on.

The acting was superb. The relationships well done. The production values, top notch. The direction, very good.

The story however, lacked the level of world building we experienced in S1. I guess it begs the question: How interesting is today’s world?

Some of the elements I didn’t enjoy: the use of Putty Men type characters we see in Power Rangers. Lady Maeda’s beautiful but menacing character gets lost in today’s palette. The creature was watered down. The Korean Drama ending.

When show flashed back to the past and showed us a glimpse of what happened in the handful of years post S1, it felt like the rich experience we were used too.

I’m not sure I will be back for Season 3.

Read More

Better Than Most Dramas of a Similar Theme

Undercover Affair delivers in terms of its story and as an overall viewing experience. As a micro drama, consisting of 24 ten minute episodes, this show flows quite well. There are some glitches re continuity around the 18/19 episode mark, but it doesn’t detract from the overall story.

If you enjoy undercover stories to bring down the evil drug lord, then you will certainly like this show. It has a good mix of villains, the mysterious hero and determined heroine and a good deal of action and some very nice romantic moments.

Leo Young delivers as Sen and continues his good performances in the micro format. It looks like he will make his return to the longer format CDramas playing a main role in Dear Archimedes.

I thought Han Le Yao did quite well as Ling Yi and I enjoyed both Sen and Ling Yi together. I liked how they had a firm trust in one another, even when Elena (the gangster Madam) tried everything in her power to sow discord between them.

Undercover Affair is worth four hours of your time, especially when you have spent between 12 and 16 hours on the longer dramas ?

Read More

A Good Expose on Environmental Governance

Show was a good expose on environmental governance. It showed the challenges that present themselves when trying to implement environmental protection including incompetence, one-upmanship, corruption, facing unfamiliar situations and what it takes to be effective, make good decisions and in fact, being competent.

I’m familiar with the environmental issues portrayed in the show because of what I do in life. The issues are spot on. How they are investigated, treated and treated seemed a bit up and down to me. Almost idealistic.

At the same time it was showing the difficulties that a family can face when there are two professionals married to each other, juggling their responsibilities - but guess what - no mention of divorce etc. here we have a mature couple who have a great relationship and just work things out. What a breath of fresh air!

I did feel the show let some characters fade away. That could be the result of show only being 24 episodes long.

Show also highlighted how, even if you did something well or right, you would become the scapegoat. So, there is that insight into not rocking the boat, how the party retrains those who are judged to have let the system down, are interrogated and the importance of joint decision making. However, I suspect we saw a very “smoothed” out version of what really happens.

The other big message: there is more to life! Work life balance is continually undermined.

Overall, I thought this was a good show. The acting was good and I liked the characters.

Read More

A Very Good Story re Business, Community and Heart

No Side Game (Manager) is one of those stories the Japanese do very well. The blend of the corporate world, interlaced with impacts at home and underpinned by how important sport can be as a way of life resonates very strongly.

What starts out as a corporate war that sees our hero relegated as the GM of the company’s rugby team is a fertile ground for what unfolds over the remaining episodes.

We have a part time rugby team that works at the auto factory at the end of its tether. Along comes the new GM, a strategic thinker who also recruits a coach, a former University adversary, who believes in innovation - revolution, not evolution.

These two together weld a team that discovers its heart, gives chances to those to grow, to improve, to shine. They do so to such an extent that a junior club is also formed.

Over two years, we get to share in their triumphs and failures. We get to see all our characters grow. In the end we are left with a warm glow inside and an appreciation of how a society bound by rules and etiquette knows how to make a shift in its mind set when it needs to.

If you have the time, take a peek. You might be surprised ?????

Read More

Not as engaging as I hoped but worth a look

Uprising is a film that promises much: action, swordsmanship, disaffected friendship and an overview of how persons of the lesser classes were treated. It did not paint King Seonjo in a good light (and rightly so)..

What I found during watching this movie is how little it engaged me. I found myself going through the viewing motions. The story in its telling was nothing new. However, if you look at it from the point of view of a historical action film, it has some merit. For me though, I found I was suffering from action sameness.

Now to who I liked. Kim Shin Rok as Beom Dong was superb. I wish I could have moved with such animation at the same age. Her character was strong, loyal and displayed superb martial arts. The Blue Robed God should have treated her with a touch more respect.

The two friends: one is a noble, the other is a very talented slave but his closest friend. The story of how they started out together was solid. However, what led to their difference of opinion and final reconciliation was underdone. Their relationship was complex, A film sometimes doesn’t have enough time or space to show this as was the case here. The acting by both was solid.

The message of how Seonjo viewed his people and what happens as a result of the Japanese invasion is valid. Unlike other uprisings in other nations where there was chaos and war, the King managed to survive and carry on. Why this happened is something that needs more exploration elsewhere.

Overall, it’s worth a look and better than many other Netflix films.

For such a lavish production, I expected more.

Read More

A Show That Lived Up To Its Name!

The Atypical Family quickly went from a ho hum show for me to one that became a must watch each week. Suddenly, we had a show that dealt with concepts in a clever way.

The vehicle used to bring the future into contact with the past was so well done. It made perfect sense.

Was the show insensitive, politically incorrect (or woke for that matter). I didn’t think so. Show was not designed to offend, treat the characters who may have a disadvantage disrespectfully or treat them differently.

We had two huckster families. One that used super powers to secure advantage surreptitiously, one that wasn’t adverse to harming others to get what they wanted. Yet, both were destined to come together. How they did this through their various entanglements quite tickled my fancy.

I quite liked Sauna Mum and her family. The transition they go through from mobster to morally grey was one of the highlights for me.

With SuperGran and her tribe, I’m not sure if show had done enough to convince me of their reform for the better.

Show lost much of its shine for me in the penultimate episodes. We also had the typical kdrama ending kick in. However, I totally enjoyed how show ended. It was clever, neat and really appealed to my sci-fi sensibilities. I gave it 8.5 stars in the end ?????????

Read More

A Lavish Production With Great World Building

Shooting Stars is a lavish and well made production that promises much. The acting is first rate and the world building regarding the Republican Era, second to none.

At its heart is a very strong theme that people and relationships matter. Camaraderie is important and working together to achieve the greater good is a worthy goal to aspire to. Family in its different forms is shown too. The conflict between brothers a vital cog in how the plot unfolds.

The first 16 episodes were superb. There were a range of scenarios regarding who might be good and who might be bad. It was also intersecting re the portrayal of the police force at this time, the rise of the different political factions and the evilness of the Japanese menace. Show used actual footage from events that occurred at that time, deftly weaving our characters into what happened.

However, in the second half of the story, the patriotic fervour was a bit overdone. On some occasions it was over sentimentalised. Chen Hao as the face of such idealism was overdone. I was wasn’t convinced of his relationship with Miss Shi, but she was a fabulous character. His friendship with Yuan Sheng was a key part of the story, but I found its execution so so at times.

Our lead couple were very good. I liked their relationship. So much was against them, but their genuineness shone through. Min Min was a delight: delicate but strong and very loyal. Yuan Sheng needed to lighten up a bit ?

Overall, Shooting Stars is worth a look. The set design, wardrobe and old vehicles are worth watching for these aspects alone.

Read More