An outstanding drama, that only better as the series progresses.

Before I begin my review, let me first briefly summarise the plot for you. Basically, the story revolves around a girl named Nozomi who got in an accident at the age of 10 and had been in a coma since then. However, 25 years later on her 35th Birthday, she miraculously regains her consciousness only to realise that she is no longer 10 and the world is neither how it used to be nor she hoped it would be. And hence, she begins her long journey towards adulthood with the help of her family and a childhood friend.

Although, this form of time-travel troupe is nothing unique but what made it truly stand out was the way the show dealt with the theme of "growing up". Unlike other similar dramas out there, this one is neither cute nor fluffy instead it is quite realistic in the sense, the main character first starts of as a child trapped in the body of a 35 year old then progresses on to become a middle schooler, then a high schooler and finally, transforms into a beautiful woman. Next, I loved the portrayal of the family, the individual family members and their relationship with one another partly because unlike the typical families we are used to seeing in dramas, this family is a bit different - they are imperfect yet somehow perfect. Lastly, can we all take a minute and appreciate how good Shibasaki Ko's acting as Imamura Nozomi was. What I admired most was that she even got the small hidden details right, such as the way kids cry or even the way they talk and refer to themselves in third person. Honestly, I doubt anyone else could have played this role better than her. She was simply phenomenal.

Now, as we all know nothing in this world comes without a flaw and even though, there aren't any major drawbacks in this drama, there certainly are scenes that could have been done better. For example, I wasn't a big fan of the way the mother's character died. While the death of her character wasn't surprising it was definitely a bit abrupt. Furthermore, I'm still not too sure how I feel about Nozomi's job, Mana's award and Tatsuya's job, I felt as if it all happened so quickly that it made the last 10 mins seem rather unconvincing. It further made it seem as if the directors rushed to give everyone a happy ending which was a bit unnecessary, at least in my view. Aside from that, everything else was just perfect be it the rest of the cast's acting, cinematography and even the OST. The OST of this series was probably the best I have ever heard in a J-Drama. I don't think I'll be forgetting it anytime soon.

Finally, I would like to recommend this drama to those who are looking for something simple yet gripping and that too without any unnecessary cringe or exaggeration. Seriously, do check it out, I'm sure you won't regret it.

Read More

This is one of those dramas that is truly flawless.

Watashitachi wa Douka Shiteiru aka 'Cursed in Love' is a drama based on the manga by the same name. It tells a story about a girl named Nao who enters Kogetsuan, a traditional Japanese confectionery shop under a fake identity in order to investigate her mother's death and to prove her innocence.

Honestly, I was quite reluctant to give this drama a chance as I'm generally not big on J-dramas. Plus, I was quite unsure as to how the story would pan out and whether it would really be worth my time. But I finally gave in and once I started watching, I just couldn't stop. This drama was so addictive that I watched 7 episodes in one sitting, which was a first for me. Furthermore, what I especially like about this drama was the fact that there is a little bit of everything - romance, murder mystery, strong female lead, interesting side characters and an evil matron. On some levels, this drama was like a typical soap opera but what made it truly stand out was the way it was executed. The plot, the cast, their chemistry and the overall pace of this drama was just perfect. Plus, if you are into kimonos and Japanese cuisine, you'll like this show even more. Kudos to the entire cast, crew and writers of 'Cursed in Love' for creating such an amazing drama.

Finally, this drama is probably one of the BEST Japanese dramas out there and I can definitely see myself re-watching it again sometime in the future. And to those who are contemplating whether to watch or not, do check it out. I'm sure you won't regret it.

Read More

More than just a romance drama featuring an older woman-younger man

Before we get to it, let me warn you that this review contains a lot of spoilers regarding the drama and the overall plot and hence, proceed at your own risk.

As always, let me start of this review by providing a brief summary of the plot. In short, the drama tells the story of a 36-year-old Hidaka Izumi, CEO of a start-up game production company who vows to change Wataru Igarashi, an uncultured 23-year-old to become a person just like ‘Kento Sama’ - a fictional game character and her ideal man.

At first glance, one would assume that this is just another romance drama featuring an older woman and a younger man however, there’s more to it than just that. In some ways, the drama is a complete opposite of what one would expect based on the synopsis. In the sense, the drama doesn’t just focus on the romance aspect but also touches on themes such as ‘Friendship’, ‘Sense of Belonging’ and ‘Fandoms’. Therefore, it can be said that the romance is more like a subplot than the main focus which I personally didn’t mind. Secondly, I also really liked the fact that there are no villains in this series which is rare in dramaland (if you ask me). Next, another aspect I absolutely loved was the acting which was convincing and cringe-free. All the actors did a brilliant job thereby, making the drama a lot more engaging. Additionally, I must also add that the budget for the drama seemed to be on the high-end cause the cinematography and the props used were of really good quality. And lastly, I really liked certain aspects of the plot (emphasis on ‘certain’) and found them quite relatable especially the scenes where Wataru is trying yet struggling to learn new skills and the scene where Izumi completely lost interest in the one thing she really liked. For some reason, those scenes really spoke to me.

Now, regarding my dislikes, although I don’t have any major complains but I was slightly dissatisfied with one particular aspect of the plot - Our leads dating other despite having feeling for one another. I get the fact that these things happen in real life too but I’m personally unsure as to how I feel about it cause it really made me feel bad for their significant others especially in Izumi’s case. Her decision to date her colleague just to ensure he remains by her side was off. On any other day, I would have applauded her decision but in this instance, it just came across as forced and unnecessary. Honestly, in the end, I just feel that had the leads been honest about their feeling from the onset, they probably would have been able to avoid the unnecessary heartache. But I’m glad they corrected it towards the end.

All in all, this was a good drama with a solid start which unfortunately declined slightly in the second half only to pick up in the finale. But with that being said, I’d still wholeheartedly recommend the series to those looking for a drama with a mature yet realistic romance.

Read More

This is one of those series where every word & every action carries weight

Beyond Evil is a 2021 psychological thriller drama starring Shin Ha Kyun and Yeo Jin Goo as the leads. In summary, the story revolves around two fearless detectives in the police force working together (somewhat) to track down and identify a serial killer from 20 years ago. However, as they dig further, new evidence starts to emerge, suggesting that there might be more that one killer and that, the killer is amongst them. Hence, no one is to be trusted, not even themselves.

This show started off as rather slow and slightly boring (for me) only to become my absolute favourite after EP 5. I guess what truly made this show stand out when compared to other thriller and psychological dramas out there is that it is quite unique in the sense, it is neither cliché nor lacking in originality. Instead, it is quite captivating and addictive to the point where it makes viewers curious, as to what would happen next or who the ‘actual killer’ is. Throughout the series, I found myself quite immersed into finding the actual killer by looking for hidden clues and focusing on facial expressions and just when I was absolutely certain about the killer, the show introduced new suspects leading us in a completely different direction. So, I guess, ‘Beyond Evil’ really does surprise its viewers with unexpected twists and turns without recycling certain plot devices.

Aside from the storyline, another aspect this show does extremely well in is – Casting. Whoever decided on the cast deserves a bonus. Both Yeo Jin Goo and Shin Ha Kyun are brilliant actors who knew what they were doing; hence, there was not a single clunker throughout the drama. Lastly, the soundtrack for this series including the background music is one of the best I’ve heard in a long time. If the sound makers ever decide to release a CD featuring all the song, I’ll definitely buy it.

And finally, to those wondering whether to check this show out or not, do check it out. I’m absolutely certain you’ll love it and make sure, you stick around till EP 5 (if you find the start a little dry, like me).

Read More

NOT YOUR TYPICAL KDRAMA

This drama is undeniably one of the BEST dramas of 2020. I had set a lot of expectations from this drama not only because of the cast but also because this is Kim Soo Hyun's first drama since 2015 and I'm pleased to say, that I wasn't disappointed. There are many aspects that I really liked about this drama but if I were to narrow them down to my top 5, then they are as follows:

1. The Unique but Fitting Title: 'Psycho But its Okay' or 'Its okay Not to be Okay'is quite a catchy and an attention grabbing title, don't you think? But when you see the drama, you realise how apt it actually is. From the beginning till the end, the drama is trying to convince its viewers how we all have a past but in order to move on we must accept it and face it.
2. Captivating Script and the Overall Plot: Honestly, when I first saw the poster I thought this is going to be just like any other romantic kdrama where the leads meet, fall in love, go through a break up and then eventually get back together. But I was so wrong, the plot is completely different and unexpected but in a good way. I was never bored plus that major plot twist left me speechless.
3. Cast, Acting & their Chemistry: The casting was just perfect, couldn't have been better! All the actors did a fantastic job at the portrayal of their respective character especially Oh Jung Se. His portrayal of Moon Sang Tae, an autistic character on the specturm was just mind-blowing in the sense, it didn't seem fake or forced at all. Hats off to him.
4. Theme: This drama explores many themes such as Love, Family and Relationships. However, the major theme and the highlight of this drama is Mental Health. As we know, Mental Health is not a very common theme in kdramas so it's quite commendable how this drama portrays such a sensitive topic without stereotyping or romanticising it.
5. OST, BGM & Animation: All the OST's and the BGM featured in this drama were just amazing especially the song Wake Up by Elaine (I'm listening to it while typing this....haha). Plus, the animation in EP 1 and those short children's stories featured throughout the drama was just beautiful and so meaningful. I think of all the stories shown, my absolute favourite was 'The Boy Who Fed on Nightmares'.

However, there were four aspects that I personally wasn't a huge fan of and they are:

1. Pacing: I personally found myself enjoying the second half of the drama way more than the first half. But that doesn't mean that I didn't like it, I simply felt that the first few episodes were a little slow for my liking whereas during the second half I was constantly on the edge of my seat, curious to know what happens next.
2. Focus on Mental Health - This might just be me, but I wish the writers had focused a little more Mental Health and the relation between the brother rather than the romance between the leads.
3. Rushed Ending - Again, this might be just me, but for some reason that ending involving the Female lead's mother felt a little rushed for some reason. I personally felt like that whole part of the plot had a lot of potential and hence, many of us were coming up with possible theories but, it was nothing like that. I'm not going to elaborate further on this as I'm afraid I'll spoil the story. But those who've seen it will know what I mean.
4. Some Loose Ends (at least in my view) - I just finished the drama but I'm still confused about certain aspects such as: Why was the mother the way she was, How was she saved and Why did she disappear for so many years. Plus, why was the the Director of OK Hospital so obsessed with her, in the sense he didn't even know her personally. Now all of this means, either they didn't tie up all the loose ends or I simply didn't understand some parts of the story....lol.

But on the whole, this drama was just MARVELLOUS and was a pure delight to watch. Kudos to the entire cast and crew of IONTBO for creating such a beautiful series which is full of meaning and life lessons. And to those wondering whether to watch or not, please do check it out. I 'm sure you won't regret it.

Enjoy!

Read More

After some initial hesitation, I finally watched this movie today and honestly, I am glad I did. The story and the theme of 'time travel' and 'self love' is not unique yet the way this movie was executed and carried out is what makes it unique. Overall, the movie was neither too draggy nor too slow - it was just perfect. And the best part about this whole movie was that, it did not revolve around romance or unnecessary love-triangles. Instead, the movie explored the concept of pursuing one's dream & passion, not letting our happiness depend on someone else and rediscovering our lost selves.

Honestly, I don't have any major complains when it comes to the production, direction or even the casting. All the actors did a tremendously good job at the portrayal of their respective characters especially Ni Ni (female lead) and Darren Wang (second male lead). The only aspect I wasn't too fond of was the ending and the male leads personality (be it the first or the second) - I just felt that neither one of them were very likeable nor did they truly deserve her.

I would recommend this movie to everyone who are looking for something meaningful and lighthearted to watch. So throw away whatever hesitation and doubt you are having at the moment and give this movie a chance, I'm sure, you won't regret it.

Enjoy :D

Read More

Hajimete Koi wo Shita Hi Ni Yomu Hanashi or commonly known as "A Story to Read When You First Fall in Love" to us international fans is a 10 episode drama, based on the manga by the same name. On the surface, it would seem like just another 'love square' or a 'revere harem' themed story. However, there is more to this series than meets the eye. It is a drama that tackles the concept of pursuing one's dreams and doing whatever it takes to reach those goals. Plus, it further explores the theme of love and loving someone despite the age barrier.

Honestly, I loved everything about this drama: the plot, the cast and their chemistry, production and even the OST. The only aspect I wasn't a huge fan of was the ending. The ending despite being complete seemed a little incomplete. Part of reason behind my dissatisfaction was because it all seemed unrealistic and left me wondering whether things would truly work out the way they have planned. In my view, it would have been better and even practical if the drama had explored this aspect as well before giving us the 'happily ever after'. Other than this, I don't have many complains nor could I find any major flaws.

Overall, I loved this drama and even found it very motivating (being a student myself). I know many of us were/are hesitant to watch this drama because the 'student-teacher relationship' tag but let me reassure you that this drama does NOT romanticise nor involve paedophilia. So do give this light-hearted drama a chance and I'm sure you won't regret it.

Enjoy the Drama :)

Read More

This is brilliant and a well executed coming of age drama about a 21 year old girl named Kahoko who after meeting a young man around the same age as her except with a completely opposite life starts to discover what the that the real world is like. She further discovers her inner strength, capabilities and her true dream in life. Together, they support and heal each other.

I am giving this drama an 8.5 rating partly because of a few things, I wasn't too fond of:

- Romance between the lead - The romance between the two leads wasn't bad, however it could have been done better. To me, it seemed more like friendship than love.

- Family Problems and Leaving - Okay, so I don't know how to word this better but basically, the whole concept of a problem arising and the affected family member leaving the house wasn't particularly my favourite. Partly because it became repetitive, it started off with the dad then the mom, next the grandparents and then the relatives. It all just started becoming a little boring.

- OST - This isn't a major flaw but I just wished this drama had a better and a more fitting ost (but then again, this is my first Jdrama so I don't know if OST's are considered important in Jdramas or not).

- Marriage - The main leads rushing into marriage wasn't quite realistic given that Kahoko didn't really have a proper job nor did Hajime. Plus, they were both quite young, still learning their ways and had just started dating. So it all just seemed a little silly and impractical.

Overall, this drama is quite entertaining and full of emotions. The entire cast did an amazing job especially the female lead. Hats off to her as no one could have possibly played the role of Kahoko as excellently as Matsuki Takahata did.

I would strongly recommend this drama to everyone. Do give it a try and I'm sure you'll like it.

Read More

I generally don't write reviews but given that this is my FIRST Hong Kong drama and seeing how underrated it is, I have decided to write one. :)

This series is about Lan Fei who after hitting rock bottom decides to rebuild her life with the help of two best friends and a guy name Wing Ho Tin. Despite my initial hesitation, I'm so glad I decided to give it a chance. This drama was just AMAZING! It's been a while since I watched a something meaningful and well written. This drama deals with many important themes such as: Infidelity, Divorce, Friendship, Single Parenthood and the importance of being a self independent woman in today's society. There are many positive aspects about this drama but if I were to narrow them down to my top three, then they would be:

1. Cast and their acting - I absolutely LOVED the cast and they all did a fantastic job at the portrayal of their respective characters. However, I especially liked how all the actors were mature which in turn made the overall quite realistic and fun to watch.
2. I liked how the show indirectly emphasised on how important it is for women to be self-reliant and financially independent in today's world.
3. Overall vibe of the Show - I personally found this drama quite light even though the synopsis and the tags suggest otherwise. The entire show was kinda like a family drama filled with happiness, angst and ups & downs.

However, nothing comes without a flaw. Although this drama doesn't any major flaws but there are some aspects that I wasn't a big fan of such as:

*Major SPOILERS ahead*

1. Amnesia - I'm not a big fan of this trope in general but in this drama, it occurred out of nowhere like everything was fine a minute ago and then the ML suddenly hits his head and loses all his memory from the past 6 months. Although, it doesn’t last long but still, it just felt unnecessary.
2. The show does get a little draggy after EP 20.
3. It was a little unrealistic at times.
4. Lack of Elaborations - Personally, I feel like the infidelity part of of story was kinda left incomplete. I might be the only one who felt this way but at the end of the whole drama, I just kept wondering whether Lan Fei’s husband really did have an affair with that Yan lady or not? Or was she (Yan) simply obsessed him?
5. Rushed Ending

All in all, I really enjoyed this drama and would recommend it to those looking for light light but also one with a good story-line.

P.S I didn't elaborate much near the end as I didn't want to spoil the overall drama. Hope you guys don’t mind.

Read More

"If you screw me, I screw you back. Its double payback!"

Honestly, this drama took me by surprise. Despite adding it to my 'Currently Watching' list, it still took me about a month to actually give it chance and when it did, I was blown away. Before, I talk about my rating and what I liked, let me first give you a quick spoiler free recap of the overall drama. In short, the drama narrates the story of a banker named 'Hanzawa Naoki' who faces numerous obstacles in the quest for justice, while working for the largest bank in Japan.

Now regarding my opinions, to be quite frank, at the beginning I was absolutely certain that I was gonna drop this drama even before it hits the halfway mark but nope, once I started I just couldn't stop. Not only is it well-written and well-executed but is also a fast paced, no-nonsense drama, which is rare if you ask me. But what made the drama truly stand out was the battle of wits from both our protagonists & our antagonists and the theme of 'friendship'. In the sense, our main character is not a lone hero instead he has some amazing friends and an even more amazing wife. I know that a lot of viewers had mixed opinions about Ueto Aya's character of 'Hanzawa Hani' and believed that she was there to simply add a kawaii factor but I personally felt the opposite. There's no doubt that she doesn't really add much to overall storyline however, through her character we get an insight to what it's like being a bankers wife (to a certain extent) and we also get to see a strong female lead who can stand up for herself. And hence, her character is absolutely necessary to the overall drama. Additionally, another reason behind the drama's success is a great lineup of talented actors who did a brilliant job at the portrayal of their respective characters. Kudos to them.

However, despite all these plus points, part of the reason why I rated the drama a 9.5 instead of a 10 is because of the last episode. Firstly, I stand by the what the chairman said about Hanzawa crossing the line which in my view, was unlike his character who is generally always calm and restrained no matter what comes his way. And secondly, that ending was unexpected. It was by no means disappointing rather it was just surprising. I know I'm being quite vague but those who have seen the drama will know exactly what I mean.

All in all, this was a brilliant drama. No wonder it's considered the best viewed show in the Heisei era. I can definitely see myself revisiting it again, in the future.

Read More

A Beautifully Sad Movie

This is a BEAUTIFUL movie in every way possible.

Snow Flower is a story about a terminally ill girl named Miyuki Hirai who dreams of going to Finland to see the very famous 'Aurora' and finding a true love in life. Initially, I was quite hesitant to give this movie a chance not only because of the mediocre ratings on MDL but also because on some levels, I felt like the synopsis was somewhat similar to 'The Fault in our Stars' and hence, wasn't sure if I was ready for the heartache or not. But I'm glad I decided to give this movie a shot and even though, it's not quite a perfection it is definitely a well executed movie. Things that I liked about this movie are:

- Cast & their Acting: The the pairing of Tosaka Hiroomi and Nakajo Ayumi was just perfect and both of them did a fantastic job as the portrayal of their respective characters. Both the actors had a great chemistry which in turn made the movie a lot more enjoyable.
- Ending: In my opinion, the ending was quite satisfying partly because it was open ended and hence, we as viewers can pick how we would like to interpret it as.
- Camera Work: The cinematography throughout the film was amazing and really helped enhance the overall story-line especially the scenes that were shot in Finland featuring the very famous Northern Lights.
- Background Music: All the background music that featured throughout this film were really fitting thus, making that particular scene much more effective.

Now, for the cons:

- Pacing: Despite the brilliant acting and great camerawork, the overall pacing was really really really slow especially in the second half of the film. I found myself really bored halfway through which decreased my overall experience of this film.
- Plot: The overall premise of the movie is not unique at all and hence, the ending is quite predictable. I'm not complaining but I just wish the directors or the writers had had made some changes in the plot or the character in order to make the overall movie a lot less cliched.

All in all, this was a beautiful but a bittersweet movie that makes it viewers realise how precious life truly is. Would recommend it those who are looking for a heart touching love story.

Read More