addicted2dramas
India
With quite a simple story and even simpler characters, it was delightful to watch. This is another no-brainer, but a nice one nonetheless. I am not fond of anime humour getting injected in every Japanese film or drama, so this one was good for a change in that aspect. The actors were good and I really liked the chemistry between the two leads. Also, this movie lives upto its name 'Paradise Kiss'. It has a couple of kissing scenes which were the best I have seen in anything Japanese so far.
The film primarily focuses on fashion, so the clothes were great in this one. While it drags out longer than required, it is a relaxing movie. Just grab a bowl of popcorn and watch it when you're bored. It will surely provide you with good humour and some cute romantic moments.
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Not to say that this is a story wholly deprived of cliches. Of course, it does have a love triangle/square and some romantic conflicts between the main leads. Refreshingly, for a change the conflict between the leads comes from within themselves and not any external sources (which I usually hate).
What I liked was that the characters seemed realistic and relatable on a certain level. They are both very, very normal people trying to juggle their love lives and careers- like most of us do. So this drama has its relatable aspects to it like career, life, aging and love. But don't worry. It's not a boring drama and there are enough laughs and light moments to keep one entertained. :D
Anyway, it takes a long time for the characters to fall in love. So if you're like me who prefers a build-up before love, you'll definitely like this drama. It is nice to watch these two people become strangers to friends and then friends to lovers. After all, cohabitation between two people of the opposite gender has to lead somewhere, right? This IS dramaland we are talking about here. :D
The story on the whole seemed to me like a mixture of My Best Friend's Wedding and the Taiwanese drama In Time With You (I read somewhere that both shows have the same producers). At times, this story seemed to me like an alternative universe to In Time With You. There's even a reference to that drama in the first episode!
I have to say that I liked all the subplots in this drama. There are many sub-romances also which were all likable. The friends of Ji An Lei were hilarious (Tiffany!) and supportive. He Wei Ting was also a sweetheart for the majority of the show. I did have problems with the female lead's character at times but she grows later on so she kind of redeems herself. I also had doubts about the main pairing but they managed to have good chemistry throughout the show. Also, there is an age difference between them but it isn't so apparent.
I also liked the ending of the drama. Being a Taiwanese drama, it dragged more than required but it didn't get unbearable. Watch this drama if you're bored with usual cliches and are looking for a good story.
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I honestly love this story. The ghost girl Sadako is... excuse me- awesome. She's a cool ghost! :D I love the kinds of events that take place in the film. The protagonist's character is excellent. The writer of the novel is nothing short of a genius because he twisted the original folktale in his own way. The director also adapted the novel in a different way and made it stand out. The direction is great. Kudos to the screenplay writer too! Most of the horror films made never make sense, but this one does. The backstory almost feels deep.
It has a nice piano tune in some of its scenes. The rest of the film is comparatively quiet and moves at a consistent pace. The ending was left in such a way that it was fulfilling as well as it left room for infinite sequels.
For me- this film is one of the few masterpieces in the horror genre. I can watch it any number of times and not get bored. Highly recommended!
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Taisetsu na Koto wa Subete Kimi ga Oshiete Kureta
31 people found this review helpful
We get to see the story in two parts- one where the story begins and other six months later. It had me entertained, frustrated, depressed and happy. But only when a story manages in getting the right reactions out of you, you can say it was successful. And this definitely was. I was on a ride with all its characters throughout the span of 10 episodes. I can't believe how quickly it ended.
It has one of the most well-shot emotional scenes I have seen in dramas yet. The last two episodes had moments which had me close to tears. Some scenes were plain beautiful. Plus, the dialogues are exceptionally well-written. The OST was also great. Pink is one of my favourite singers and I liked the songs they picked. The background score is beyond amazing. I will keep listening to it until I get bored.
This is the kind of drama that you either love or hate. It might require some patience towards the middle of the story, but it is all worth it in the end. The plot loses its colour in this part, but I still wanted to know what would happen. I was very invested in the characters. Though its ending is predictable, it is difficult to guess anything in between. The writer will manage to provide you with a good twist every other episode.
It has some pretty solid characters. It reminded me of how humans really are like. All characters act in a way that would turn you off, but at the end of the day they are presented as very ordinary human beings. And that is how we all are- flawed. And we all make mistakes. This is exactly what the characters do- they screw up, but they also learn from their mistakes and move on. The character depth of Hikari was tremendous. She is initially presented as a thoughtless, immature bad girl to us. But in fact, she is lonely and has serious abandonment issues. I really loved how she grew up by the end. Also, the struggle of Natsumi touched me. She shows how important it is to keep fighting and never give up hope. On the other hand, I was pissed at Shuji. He was hard to like till the end. He has some good things about him too, but the bad ones really annoyed me.
There were some scenes of the school which didn't get through me. I don't know how it is in Japan, but isn't the private matter of teachers to not be discussed with the students? I didn't get why Shuji was so openly talking about his personal problems with the students. That was super weird. Maybe it had to with his honesty? I am confused about that.
As for the ending- it was perfect. Just how things should have been. This is the first ending that left me totally satisfied because it provided closure to each and every character. And every one got what they wanted. What better way than this to end a drama?
So, this drama is not just for light viewing. Unless you have the patience to sit through a story where you can't enjoy unless you think- this isn't for you. If you're up for complex stories, then go ahead. It will surely not let you down.
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In some aspects, I can say this show comes close to being genius. Hats off to its writer because he wrote one of the most challenging stories involving romance that I have come across in quite a while. I can say that the first seven episodes were absolutely not predictable. I am generally very good at guessing things, but this show proved me wrong every time. Even after a certain 'twist' at the end of episode 7, I was pretty sure about the outcome of the story and even that left me in surprise. This is the reason why this show has very few dull moments. There is always something that you won't see coming in every episode that takes place that thoroughly makes you laugh. It is a rather bold drama compared to regular Jdramas with few scenes of intimacy. It would appeal to a more mature audience. Also, people tired of cliches should definitely go for it.
This show has a good cast and the acting department was quite good. There were a couple of characters that came off as annoying- especially Usami but there were lots of other things that kept me occupied. Dynamics between all characters have been explored fully. The ending felt sort of forced, but even that ended up being funny. Every time a serious situation sprouts up, it eventually turns into comedy. It is a very lightweight drama. I loved the role of Matsuda Shota the best because his character was that of a playboy photographer. He carries out roles of bad boys pretty well. His female counterpart was ridiculous but I kind of fell for it too by the end.
Also, the psychology involved in the story is pretty interesting. Almost every theory they put forward made sense and could not be argued against. The psychologist's character was a freaking genius. He very splendidly changed his shades from good to bad and back again. Airu was also a solid character among all females. Right from the scene where they all get stuck in the lift, she became my favourite.
This drama has great comedy, good romance and great entertainment value. It makes you laugh without being too ridiculous, gives you romance without being cheesy and entertains you till the end. This is a highly recommended drama!
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I didn't know that Ki Kwang could act this well. He was really charming and made himself believable as him (since he played himself here). I've never the main actress before but she was too cute for words. I usually have a problem with girls behaving like eight-year-olds but this girl was too likable. She didn't annoy me at all. Her chemistry with Ki Kwang was explosive. Their romance was wonderful and oh my- the kisses!! It wasn't just one or two open-eyed ones, there were many cute ones.
A few parts of the drama towards the end felt dragged to me so that's the reason I'm docking off a point. It wasn't perfect. It's just a feel-good kind of a story with solid puppy love!
This drama is fairly short with the length of a movie and that makes it an easy watch. It's something to watch with a bowl of popcorn in your hand while you sit in your PJs on a lazy Sunday. Go watch it now! You will not regret it.
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While school dramas happen to be among my favourites because they are so enjoyable, this is the first time I was fully invested in one from the first episode to the last. I finished it in just a day and a half and had a blast while doing it. It had such spectacular scenes that they will definitely go down as classic Jdrama moments for me. Often quirky at times, it could get hilarious to the point you would just keep laughing. Other times it was either very touching or relatable because of some realistic issues in it.
In its heart it is a tale about friendship, human relations and above all- growing up and trying to be better people. I have to say this is the most consistent drama I have seen till date. Not a single episode, not a single moment ever fell weak or draggy for me. Plus its three-dimensional characters are what make this drama into a masterpiece. None of them ever turn out the way they seem. It reminds us of how we are all humans, in spite of the good and the bad in us. Also that embracing these traits is a must in order to respect yourself. I found this drama having some great quotable dialogues.
Anyway, at first look Hana is just a dork and Daichi is a no-good person. From then on how these characters grow is almost unbelievable. I found the aspect of Hana seeming smart but being a dunce, and Daichi seeming dumb but being bright very funny. I was very impressed by the performances of Naka Riisa and Narimiya Hiroki. They are both fantastic actors and can convey every emotional successfully. The supporting cast was also great.
I like to mention the relationship between Hana and her grandfather and also Daichi and his father were one of the best things about the drama.
Like lots of Jdramas, this one has some great moments of friendship also. If you watch this drama then try to get past the over-enthusiasm of Hana because she is such a likable character. This drama easily avoided lots of cliches but incorporates the most common one in mangas- a cold, rude, arrogant guy and a seemingly clingy and stupid girl. I liked their bickering relationship and the ending was hilarious if not fully satisfying.
I wish there was a season 2 since 10 episodes seems way too short for me. I am giving this drama a high rewatch value because I want to watch it again in its entirety.
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Well, there are a lot of things that happen in this drama which you must have seen in other historical dramas as well. So what sets this apart from all the rest? I think the answer to that lies in the whole drama itself. After watching from ep 1 to 62 I realized that it is one of those dramas which need to be watched in entirety before one can fully appreciate it.
This is a cleverly written drama. It has a nice script and all the right elements in it keep you engaged. For a drama to have that pull factor, the characters need to be fleshed out well. It is a cherry on the top when you also have the right actors to play these characters to make them more real. Here the cast is made up of actors I consider a class apart like Ko Hyung Jung and Kim Nam Gil. So of course, they HAD to be good. These two actors not only impressed me as usual but blew me away is the right way to put it. They probably took the drama to an entirely different level than it would have been otherwise. Apart from them, Lee Yo Won, Uhm Tae Woong and Yoo Seung Ho also did a great job. The cast seemed to have been chosen wisely and had great chemistry with each other. I would also like to mention Nam Ji Hyun here who did a spectacular job of playing the child version of Deokman and I daresay made more of a lasting impression than Lee Yo Won did. I have liked Nam Ji Hyun's previous portrayals as well and she never disappoints.
I liked the entire span of the drama. Right from the historical events depicted in the beginning to the childhood episodes to the ending. Most Korean dramas (especially historic) are a disaster with their endings and here is one which did it right. All writers should take a clue on how to end a drama from this writer. The events were always flowing at the right pace and surprisingly- the melodrama in this was kept lower than I expected from such a long one. There is makjang in it but it somehow seemed smart makjang than something used as filler.
I also loved how the drama focuses on its title. The queen is actually given importance and we get to see her be one. I loved Deokman's character. She was smart, flawed and strong. She always knew how to do the right thing and pulled out from every hole she fell into. Of course- she had two amazing guys beside her which made life better for her. Yushin is seen as nice, righteous and loyal. Bidam is sly, calculating, fierce, passionate and much in need of love. LOL. I can never ever forget Bidam's amazingness thanks to the almighty Kim Nam Gil. He made the character impossible not to love and made him so real to me that I felt his every pain and happiness as he did on-screen. I also loved Yushin but I prefer Bidam a bit more. Deokman was lucky enough to have such amazing guys who loved her more than anything. Although romance is not a central part of the drama, the dynamics between these three characters were exceptional.
The fight scenes, costumes, sets, politics and battles always keep the drama going. There is a lot regarding the throne and battle for power in this drama. It will always make you question what is right and what is wrong and what is fair and what is not. It shows how big a burden power can be. This is the driving factor of the story in the later half.
Plus, the characters are all so wonderfully messed up and tragic. They all have abandonment issues, mommy issues and what-not. They constantly go from good to bad and vice-versa, taking you on the crazy ride with them. The character development of Deokman and Bidam was phenomenal. I liked how Deokman acted like a ruler when she was one. She was pretty believable in her struggle to fit into the role of a queen. Now this brings me to the hotness called as Bidam. I wanted to hug him because of all that emotional baggage he seemed to carry with him. I have a thing for misunderstood bad boys like him. Mishil is one of my favourite antagonists ever now. She puts all Kdrama antagonists to shame with her badassery and cunning attitude. Others can only hope to be half as awesome as she was.
The soundtrack of the drama is pretty good. The song 'Windflower' by IU has become one of my all-time favourites. The background score and ending score in the drama are brilliant. I can never forget the ending score. It will always bring back all the feelings and memories.
I can go on talking about this drama and it will never end. LOL. So let's just end it here and go watch the drama if my point of view convinced you even one bit. :D
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This movie is a tearjerker. If you have a heart, you'll definitely weep or at least get teary. The story is nothing too grand, it's rather a very simple account of a spoiled city boy living with his rural dwelling grandmother. What follows is the kid's bratty behavior and a grandmother you just want to pull out of the screen and hug. She was really that cute and lovable. I swear I hated the kid so much till the end. He treats his grandmother like crap, and yet she never gets angry.
The overall pace is somewhat slow, but it has been shown very realistically. Both the kid and the grandmother didn't seem like they were acting at all! I'd give a full 10/10 to the direction. In fact I think the movie deserved a whole 10 if not the ending that I didn't quite like. I would have made it into a very fair ending if I could. Instead it remained as a somewhat sad end if you ask me.
I also loved the fact because it shows us how greedy people have become in today's world. There are many people in the world who come from rural side, get educated and then move to the city for their jobs and settle there. A lot of times they leave behind their parents, never looking twice how they are doing. The kid's mother is an example of such a person. She was downright awful if you ask me. She leaves her child with her mother and it was apparent they didn't have a good relation. Not just that, she's completely oblivious to the conditions her mute mother is living in. Any person with a heart would never do such a thing.
LOL, sorry about my little rant there. I couldn't help myself since the movie so accurately portrays real people that it kicked natural reactions out of me.
Anyway, the other things like the background score and the cinematography were also done well. I've heard that this movie was received well internationally also and now I can see why.
Honestly, if you let this pass up you're missing out something that is very fantastic. Watch this movie with your grandmother if you could. :)
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As the title suggests, it is centered on the brothers and all other relations in their lives. I am mighty impressed with how well the drama was made. The four brothers were all unique in their own ways and this seemed like a collection of Kdramas all in one. By the end, it was thoroughly fulfilling.
The story for each brother was very cute and likable. I especially loved the romantic plots of the younger three brothers. The older one was kind of boring and ajhussi-like at times for my taste but his romance was still cute. Not just that, the whole cast did a great performance and did justice to their roles. I am impressed with the females in this drama. They are stronger and bolder than regular kdrama heroines.
As in the acting department, I loved Uee a lot. She is definitely way above other idol actors I know of and was one of the strongest entity of the drama. Joo Won was hot and cute (as always) and had pretty solid chemistry with Uee. Their romance was so nice and had a rocking build up, proper relationship and the makjang elements in it. The second brother and the youngest one are the actors I don't know very well but I liked them too.
The only weak parts in the drama were towards the end. However, nothing was too bad. I have seen worse so this drama didn't lose much overall. In fact despite its length, the fact that it didn't bore me made me realize that it is one of the best Kdramas to exist quite possibly.
I strong recommend watching it. It's worth the time.
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In the beginning I was like, "Hey, this movie's just like Memoirs of a Geisha" (which I immensely love). I was pretty sure the movie would have a cliche plot and ending. However, sometimes it is INCREDIBLE when the story manages to prove every guess of yours wrong. Although the plot seems somewhat heavy, it manages to stay light because of the memorable, foul-mouthed anti-heroine. Another nice thing about the movie is how it incorporates dark humor and art together. The title 'Sakuran' also has a lot of meaning to it.
Everything about this movie is wonderful- its costumes, sets, cast, story and soundtrack. I honestly couldn't think of anything major to criticize about in this film. The movie is serious combined with funny and yet giving off an artsy vibe. The writing, the performance of the cast and the direction were all pretty solid. The camerawork was quite good too. In spite of an unrealistic-looking surroundings at a couple of places, the movie is great to look at overall.
If you love the culture of Japan, you will love this movie. However, this movie is for mature audiences and so it includes a lot of sexual content. The movie was very, very colorful and pleasing to look at from the first scene to the end.
I actually didn't know anyone in the cast so I had no expectations from them. However, I have to say all of them delivered well. The parts that were played by the leading characters were great. Another awesome thing about the movie is its soundtrack. There was both traditional and modern music used in this film and it suited the mood well.
Lastly, I HAVE to talk about the ending. I just didn't think it would turn out to be the exact opposite of what I guessed. The ending makes the movie very different and not cliche at all. I am not going to spoil the ending for any one so just watch the whole thing for its ending. It will totally be worth the time!!! :D
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As for the story, it is a plain one about a girl who finds out she is a princess. There wasn't much original in the plot and all the Imperial family politics bored me. I was lazy to complete this drama because I wasn't invested in the second leads either. By the way, I generally don't like judging actors by their looks but Park Ye Jin looked absolutely hideous in her hairstyle and annoyed the hell out of me.
After watching this, Kim Tae Hee is hands down the most easily likable actress in the Korean industry for me. I don't remember the last time I was so impressed with an actress playing an ordinary character in midst of a boring story. Also, Song Seung Hoon was equally good as Park Hae Young and complimented Tae Hee's character well. Plus, their awesome chemistry made me want more. Their scenes are all fluffy and cute. At least these two people didn't bore me.
Because this drama is a victim of poor writing, Lee Seol's character was also nothing special. But Tae Hee's amazing acting skills made her entertaining. Generally, I have a record of hating female characters which cry a lot or behave immaturely. But Tae Hee makes even this funny and enjoyable to watch. The drama had nothing but to rely on Tae Hee and Seung Hoon's talent to make it to the end.
Overall, it is an easily forgettable drama. But because it is light and has great lead actors I could tell you try it once. Recommended for fans of Kim Tae Hee and Seung Hoon!
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Although it would be unfair to compare it to TMOPB, it just doesn't compare. The lore in this version isn't so big or exciting. It is only worth checking out if you like the leads or love stories in general. The overall cast in the 1st part was clearly superior and I found myself somehow missing Zhang Bin Bin the most lol.
PLOT:
It's cute but it gets frustrating seeing the female - Fengjiu being hopelessly in love with Dong Hua. I was prepared to go in for some real heartbreak as I knew DH is a sort of cold person. But man, I did feel so bad for Fengjiu who got her heart broken so many times within the first 10 episodes. It seems largely due to her playful but naive self but it does make you pity her. The mortal realm was surprisingly lighter compared to other xianxia dramas. When they got back to heaven all was fine except the Dream of Aranya sequence. I had to do FF after ep 36ish. The ending was better than expected because at least we got back the main leads back in one piece and the 'separation' didn't last long.
CHARACTERS:
Fengjiu's character growth is what made watching it worthwhile. She's awfully immature in the beginning but beomes much better later on. Dong Hua was also pissing me off for a while - there's only so many smirks one can win me over with. Neither of them seem as badass as Bai Qian or Ye Hua nor they did they have the same chemistry. But overall it was pleasant to watch. I feel like this story was more on the redemption of Di Jun/Dong Hua because I wanted to sit and see him suffer some as well. I feel like in the last installment and this one, it was majorly Fengjiu having to suffer and prove everything. When it comes to the baddies, they all fell flat to me. I didn't even like any of their acting. I'd have to rate it meh in that department.
ACTING:
Oh BOY this is where this drama lacks A LOT. Neither Dilraba nor Vengo were excellent. Dilraba was good because her character was basic and didn't have to have Oscar-level acting. I'd rate Vengo lower because he had this awesome character to play but it fell flat. I did like his "ice face" and "romance face" but I was just not feeling it with the sad parts. I didn't think this role was totally cut out for someone of his level of acting. I would say he is charming at best because, come on - there is only one Dong Hua in this world! But there could have been someone better at acting. (I am treading into dangerous category here and must be offending a few fans)
OVERALL:
I was guaranteed sugary sweetness which I got but I wanted more. The plot was ok, acting was ok and the overall experience was ok. I don't think I ever lost sleep over this as I recall being obsessed over other C-dramas that I have watched. I have seem some people say that this drama wasn't required at all. I could somewhat agree but then I never would have seen the growth of the two leads nor the redemption of Dong Hua (yes, I am calling that because he always seemed cold to me in TMOPB and the initial 10 eps of this drama). I also watched because of Dilraba - I love her and she is very cute and gorgeous at the same time.
Take your pick - watch it or skip it. I can't find many reasons to do either.
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This is a movie only for adult viewers with open thinking. Most of the film revolves around homosexuality and includes several graphical sex scenes and nudity. So I would advise every one to carefully consider about its aspects before deciding to watch this. Some of the stuff may offend you. It was very surprising to watch at times, because I didn't imagine that Korean movies could include so many tabooed issues in the same film.
Apart from that, the movie had spectacular direction. Its settings and filming locations were exquisite. The action was also quite good. The romance part was quite touching and the cast put on some great performances. There was just one particular part throughout the whole film that creeped me out in such a way that I had to take a moment to collect myself before continuing to watch it. However, lots of aspects of this movie are realistic and not unheard of. It also touches upon a variety of emotions throughout the duration of 2 hours and 15 minutes.
But due to the immensely disappointing last half, I am going to say the whole experience of the film got ruined. I am struggling to remember the parts I enjoyed while writing this because otherwise the whole film got damaged. Watch this movie at your expense. It hardly serves as entertainment.
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When you think about the plot, it is just about a band of boys. One might think there could be nothing more to it than just a bunch of pretty boys strutting around and showing off. However, this is so NOT true. I cannot believe how well this story was woven. And it had such amazing depths. Every single character has been paid attention to and redeemed by the end. There were some characters I wanted to throw shoes at but I grew to love every single one of them. I simply cannot suggest anything to improve upon in it. The only thing is that in order to understand and appreciate it fully, one might need to watch it till the end. And I am sure, anybody who loves dramas with a good cast, great music and amazing story lines must watch this.
I believe this is the best drama that I have seen till date. Every other drama feels dragged and turns out to be full of nonsense during the last few episodes, but here is one which makes sense every single way. And I am overwhelmed at the character development of Ji Hyuk. I think this show is a masterpiece. I don't know why I didn't decide to watch it sooner.
What I loved most about it was that every single issue was addressed. These boys are all messed up, but we get to know each boy's backstory and then they grow up. Even the meanie turns out to be a guy I empathized with. I also liked Su Ah. She is very different from other female protagonists I often come across in stories. She fights and stays there calmly. She is not a cry baby and I love that about her. Most of all, she knows her priorities. I think the teenage essence of the characters is depicted and captured perfectly. Every single move and decision they made was understandable.
I honestly, sincerely recommend this show to every one.
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