What a sweet show!

This is a darling show if you are looking for no angst, cuteness overload, sweet and quirky characters. I'll say right now, to get it over with, that I did end up scoring down slightly due to the introduction of the ex-girlfriend. I'll tell you why - I absolutely hate how writers always bring in the woman that broke the guy's heart and then comes back years later, sees that he's interested in someone else, but still does everything she can to get him back. I was especially irritated in this show, because it was going on so well, just being driven by the characters in the small town. The small-town feel, everyone knows everyone else and is all up in everyone else's business. Some of the characters seem a hamburger short of a Happy Meal, which adds to the charm. The pace is purposely slow, letting you get involved in their lives. Here, too, is where the writing let me down. The ML going on about how much he had loved the ex-girlfriend and she broke his heart and he never thought he'd love again. Just my opinion, but to me that truly decreases the romance value, like the way he felt about the FL wasn't that special. Again, just my opinion.

I could expound for days on how cute the ML and FL were together. Any scenes they were in were bright and lovely. And once they finally admitted they liked each other, well, let me just say that my cheeks were hurting from smiling so much. I would potentially watch this show again just to see the progression of their relationship. One bad kiss, but they definitely improved on that. The ending was a tad rushed, as tends to be the norm in Asian dramas.

The kid "couple" was a treat - it was kind of like watching a parallel relationship alongside the leads. They didn't see the similarities, but we, as the audience, got to see and enjoy that.

The music was beautiful and added to the almost ethereal mood of the town and its people. This was truly a wonderful show.

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Upon re-rewatch, score went up from 3 to 7.5

I watched this show a couple of years ago and HATED it, mostly for the character of Cheon Song Yi. Since I'm admittedly somewhat fascinated by Kim Soo Hyun, I decided to give this another try. I enjoyed it so much more! There were some things that still prevented me from rating it higher, but I was able to find more positives than negatives.

STORY/CHARACTERS: Original storyline. You've got aliens, stopping time, teleportation - what's not to like? My issues were with some of the characters. I still hated Cheon Song Yi. Kim Soo Hyun did an excellent job of making me hate the character. She was self-centered, self-absorbed, bratty, whiny, she yelled a lot, she was demanding, plus she was portrayed as being pretty stupid - she can't remember the door code to get into her house?! I just didn't like this character at all! And she never got any better for me. I didn't care for Lee Hui Kyung - This character was like a puppy following her around, calling her his girlfriend when they weren't involved at all - it was nice to see Park Hae Jin in a role where he actually shows some facial expressions. Shin Sung Rok as Lee Jae Kyung - I was supposed to hate him, I know. I just think that the story would have been better served if they had used an actor that didn't look so much like a villain from the very beginning. It would have brought some depth to the show to discover his evil as you go along, not know immediately that he's the bad guy.

ACTING: I thought the acting was good by all. Kim Soo Hyun was perfect for this role, as he doesn't tend to show any emotion.
in any role he plays. At the end of episode 19 when he looks into the camera with a slight smile - be still my heart! He is a beautiful crier, and I was impressed by his heaving crying, not just drops running down his cheeks. I originally watched this when I was new to K-dramas. I think another reason I enjoyed it more this time, it was like old home week! Most of the actors I've seen in multiple other dramas.

MUSIC: I liked the music, especially Kim Soo Hyun singing In Front of Your House.

REWATCH: I doubt that I'll re-watch it a third time.

OVERALL: I thought this drama was very romantic. Really good kisses, which are always nice for a change of pace. I liked the development of Cheon Song Yi's family dynamics. Now I think I understand why this is at the top of so many people's lists.

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High on living your dreams, low on romance

Story: The story was cute. There were underlying stories that were handled very well also. As BTS ARMY, I really appreciated the story about liking an idol - the public's perception that the idol belongs to them, and that they shouldn't have their own private life. We tend to not think about that. There was also the story about not being able to express your true feelings for someone because society frowns on it - it was handled with sensitivity, and I loved the "resolution" of him being honest and changing the government. I didn't care for the main leads dating others, knowing that they liked someone else - that makes it feel too much like "love the one you're with" and diminishes their feelings for each other, in my opinion. I would have liked to have seen them have more time together, and the ending felt rushed, per the usual MO of Asian shows. The workers at the company were fun to watch and I liked how they have made themselves into a family of sorts, caring for and watching out for one another.

Acting: The acting was good and not overacted as we sometimes see in Japanese dramas. They have also toned down the exaggerated movements and facial expressions, so I was able to feel that I was watching real people, not just caricatures.

The piano music throughout was good and kind of blended into the background for the most part.

I won't rewatch this for two reasons: 1) Not enough romance. 2) My "to watch" list is so long that I'll probably never get to all of them.

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Short, sweet, strange

This drama was original, yet strange. I liked the aspect of it being different, but I DIDN'T like the scenes with the ML barking. That was just too over the top. It was cute, low angst, short, yet somewhat rushed. I would have liked to have seen more interaction between the leads as a couple, because those scenes were precious (however, the ending was just all sorts of cute).

What stood out to me in this show was that the ML was different. Not the fact that he had husky genes, but that, even though he was a powerful CEO, he wasn't completely cold and autocratic. He appreciated the help that the FL provided and took care to thank her for her help. His smiles alone are worth watching this show.

The FL was so cute! I've seen her in other works and can't get over her tininess. I liked the way she played the character, she wasn't pouty or bemoaning her fate, and she also wasn't a doormat to the ML. Her facial expressions really exemplified her irritation with him at times, which made me laugh.

Their romance was rushed. They weren't in love, then they were. The scenes with them together when they were smiling and laughing had me smiling and laughing as well. Though the relationship was rushed, I could understand why they liked each other, mostly because of their mutual respect. I would have liked less time spent on the evil uncle and more time spent on them.

There were certainly things I would have changed in the storyline, but I'm glad I watched it. I probably won't re-watch it, however.

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Easy watch

This movie expands on the short show of the same name. I saw that Yokohama Ryusei was in this, so decided to give it a try. It was cute, for what it was. It was sort of like watching a live action cartoon, with over-the-top sound effects, exaggerated movements and facial expressions. Because it was so cartoonish, I wasn't able to feel anything for the characters.

It had your typical, excessively socially awkward teens that are seen in a lot of the Japanese shows. Sometimes, it's like watching people that have been raised with wolves coming into contact with humans for the first time in their lives. Fearful, skittish, unable to maintain a conversation. This movie did have the addition of a cousin to supposedly create some tension between the couple. My only thoughts of him were, "Did they use an egg beater to arrange his hair?!"

This show used the trope of misunderstanding/lack of communication, which is always frustrating to me. The movie as a whole was okay, I suppose but it never drew me in. I think I was probably slightly generous with my rating, only because the movie was completely innocuous and didn't irritate me.

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Very well done

Lee Kwang Soo is one funny guy! He's funny in this, but he's also a good actor that can wring other emotions from you. I thought this drama's storyline was very original and it managed to walk the fine line between drama and comedy. It was filled with twists and turns that kept me interested throughout.

I love a show that demonstrates the strength of family and friends. This did that well. All the quirky supermarket employees really understood each other and looked out for one another. And just the best supportive mom, ever!

A lot of this drama was difficult for me to watch, especially concerning the little girl (who did a wonderful job, by the way), but I'm glad I took the time, though it's not my usual genre.

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A journey of self

One thing I've noticed about a lot of Japanese shows, they are a "slice-of-life". Not a lot happens, but we are privy to the main character's daily thoughts and desires. Such is the case with this movie. You have a high schooler, with all the angst, hormones, and everything else that goes along with the age. A secret crush, changing family dynamics, and cyber-bullying add to her everyday worries. Remembering back to my teen years, everything was amplified - the highs were higher, and the lows were lower. I could feel the loneliness, as well as the dissatisfaction in her current life. Along comes a mystical, magical granny to change things. It's often someone completely out of our sphere that we connect with, relate to, that can help us see things more clearly. This person gives her the bravery to come out of herself, and also the opportunity to resolve past hurts. A special person in your life can change you and your perspective forever.

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The power of friendship

This show speaks to the stresses that are put on them by their parents, their teachers, each other, and themselves. There was a lot of emotional/psychological bullying in this one, which was hard for me to understand, because I wouldn't have put up with it. I was sorry there weren't consequences for the bullies.

There is a bit of a romance here, but mostly this is about friendship, and it tells the story well. It's about believing in your friends when they don't even believe in themselves. About how you can trash talk your friends, but nobody else had better try it. At the beginning, I was worried, because the acting seemed pretty stiff, but that eventually worked its way out.

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Too many episodes for the story

This story was done very effectively in the movie version. Sadly, I felt that this show had too many episodes. There were many, many times that I fast forwarded through scenes.

Acting: I really enjoyed all the actors, for the most part. Seo Hyun Jin, as usual, is very good. She's tremendously self-centered and over-the-top at the beginning, but eventually settles into her role. She has a sweet playfulness about her that I really enjoy. I have to say, I don't particularly care for Lee Min Ki as an actor in general. He's too much like an automaton. There is one scene where she smiles at him and he's completely gobsmacked, but in general, the fact that he remains expressionless is a problem for me. I didn't care for the second couple, she was completely unlikeable throughout. I liked both her agent and his secretary.

This show had the problem that it didn't really know what it wanted to be. Is it a comedy? A melodrama? Her disorder seemed to, for the most part, be played for laughs, but when it switched to seriousness I wasn't buying into it. His disorder is SO overused in K-dramas! I was loving the fact that he could recognize her in any body she was in, then they went and tipped that on its head. That bothered me as well.

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It grew on me

At the beginning I was getting the "how many times have I seen this before" vibes. I didn't find it too interesting, but then about halfway in, I think I just decided to enjoy the ride.

It's a story about first loves, fractured relationships, budding friendships, with the obligatory corruption thrown in for good measure. It was enjoyable to get to know the people, some more than others. I thought the 3rd couple was irritating and unnecessary - lots of pouting, whining, and other very juvenile behavior.

The main couple was cute, though I saw them more as friends than anything else, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. I did like how they didn't have any misunderstandings and were there for one another at all times.

BIGGEST DRAW FOR ME - Choo Young Woo as Jung Young Joo. I've not seen this actor in anything else and he was captivating. The ultimate bad boy, but with a strong sense of family and decency. I loved the way this character was written, and Young Woo embodied the part totally. He was very serious, but when he broke into a smile, watch out. And I have to say, surprisingly, that my favorite parts were the development of the relationship between Jung Young Joo and Kang Seo Young. Trying not to be in a relationship, but falling into a relationship, their scenes in the last couple of episodes were just darling.

Disliked - the head of the school (though I was supposed to, so she did a good job). Even more than my dislike of that character was the song Dream On. I swear, they must have played the one line of that song about 250 times. Fingernails on a chalkboard!

I don't feel the need to watch it again, because I didn't love it, but it was certainly worth watching for Choo Young Woo. It's a sweet, low-angst watch.

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Good, in theory

I love me a good office romance. I also love when the woman is strong without being a witch. The man falls first? Yes, please. I was so looking forward to watching this one, but unfortunately the execution wasn't that good.

Aviis Zhong - she is absolutely gorgeous, and I'll admit I was a little enthralled with her. She started out very strong, then she began to show some good signs of vulnerability, but then she kind of fell apart for me.

Wes Lo - I think my biggest issue concerning him were the random, strange camera angles. Extreme close ups tended to make him look very cartoonish. I'm not into stalker behavior, but I was willing to overlook it to a certain extent since it furthered the storyline. Sometimes he was very attractive (in looks and in actions), but then other times he was more like a buffoon (especially in the strange way he walked (I know, strange thing to focus on).

The leads had some cute scenes together, but I didn't feel chemistry. I also wasn't able to ever figure out why they liked each other. We never got to see a progression of their feelings. Add to that some open-eyed, fish kisses and I wasn't believing them as a couple.

The storyline for the assistant that became somewhat of a psycho...terrible!

In no world would I ever feel the need to watch this again.

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What fun!

I decided to watch this so I could see Mamiya Shotaro in a lead role, and he was completely different than in other roles in which I've seen. Loud, mean, uncouth, brash, driven, set-apart - these are words you could use to drive his character. And you would, at the beginning. Wait until you are further into the movie, and you'll think caring, hidden depths and thoughtful, not only in his outward actions, but in the way he he was going through life.

He and the FL had such a fun relationship. This would NOT be a healthy relationship in the real world, but when played for laughs it absolutely worked. Never have two people been more in sync than when they are screaming at each other! I'm going to do some research to see if the two actors have worked together before. I would love to see them together in something else to see if the chemistry is still there.

I loved how this movie focused on the main couple and everyone else pretty much faded into the background. They were there solely to bring the spotlight to the main couple.

I'll be honest, I don't remember the music. I was too busy laughing and enjoying the movie.

I will definitely re-watch this movie when I just need an hour or so of fun.

I would recommend this movie, absolutely!

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Slow, beautiful film

The concept was original, the cinematography was wonderful, the acting was stellar, the music was haunting. I remember seeing the American remake (The Lake House), but I could never forget that they were actors in a movie, because they were famous. This was completely different.

Though I've seen both of the main actors in other works, I was completely immersed in this story. Let's start with the locations, the architecture, the cinematography. The film was full of shades of blue, fog, mist, and water, all that gave the strong feeling of calm, quiet, and mystery. The house on the lake, I think anyone would want to live there. The house, far from everyone and everything, gave the feeling of loneliness, and to a certain, degree, depression. The character of Kim Eun Ju (Jun Ji Hyun) was just full of loneliness. She'd been unsuccessful in love, wasn't doing too well in moving on, and if I'm honest, a little irritating in that she wanted to hold on to her putz of a husband. Han Sung Hyun (Lee Jung Jae) gave off the vibe of a real loner. Someone told him early on that he needed to learn how to open his heart. He seemed perfectly content in his solitary life, yet something was missing.

The two communicate across time, and Sung Hyun even addressed the improbability in that Cola, the cutest dog ever, was in two places at once. We get to know these two better through their correspondence and I really hoped there would be a happy ending for them.

The haunting song, Must Say Goodbye, was played throughout this movie, sometimes instrumental, sometimes with words. It was beautiful and went perfectly with the movie.

I would probably not rewatch this movie, since I know what happens, but I would definitely recommend it. A warning, this is a slow movie. Not much happens, but in a world that seems to be moving at warp speed, it was nice to sit back and enjoy the slow ride.

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Finding and chasing your dreams

Spoilers (slight) at the end -

This was a take-off of The Devil Wears Prada. However, here we get some of the back story as to why the Devil Boss is the ways she is. It totally humanized her, and I found that her story arc was my favorite of the whole show.

The romance was somewhat cute, but I found myself with SLS. I think it was because the FL kept referring to the ML as a puppy, and he just seemed somewhat immature to me. They were a cute couple, but I didn't see much chemistry.

As for the FL, I think I could have warmed to her more if they hadn't made her so bumbling. Constant rookie mistakes that would have gotten her fired, talking back to bosses (which also would have gotten her fired), and the clumsiness were all a bit much.

The potential rival for the ML's affections was a nice change of pace. The usual formula wasn't used here, which I appreciated.


NOW FOR THE RANTING SPOILERS:
This really irritated me. So, the guy kisses her on the forehead, and she is already planning their wedding?! I notice that they tend to do this a lot in Japanese dramas. She can't even ask him to define their relationship. It's called communication, people. But the thing that irked me more than that, this is a woman that had no goals to speak of, finally gets a "dream" and breaks up with him when he is leaving Tokyo to go into the family business! This, to me, made everything we went through a waste of time. I was also bothered how she "saw" him everywhere. It was her choice to break up. Why does it have to be one or the other - a career OR a relationship? Could they have tried to make it work.? Having had a career that was the major focus of my life, at the expense of my relationship - I've discovered that you can't bank on a career.

Another thing that REALLY irritated me, and this happens ALL THE TIME in Asian shows - the time jump. The guy decides that he really wants to pursue photography (this didn't make sense to me because he was already a professional photographer) so we went to Cambodia for three years and didn't contact her ONCE!?!?!?! Granted, phones didn't play a central part in this drama as much as they do in others, but with technology what it is, there is no reason to fall off the grid for years at a time.

Overall, I found this to be a cute and easy show to watch. The romance was lacking chemistry, but I found the Devil Boss storyline to be fresh and well-written.

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Beautifully done

This was a lovely story about love and loss. About how things in our lives can form our characters and affect decisions we make. Mei was the perfect example of this. A tragedy in her life sent her running and she was making some bad decisions. She said herself that she didn't like who she had become.

I really liked how the friends re-connected and enjoyed each other's company. Kota was instrumental in this, and he saw the importance of them leaning on and supporting each other.

The show had the perfect balance of past and present, enough time in the past to know what was happening, but, as Kota said, "not looking in the past". They all realized that the past couldn't be changed but saw the importance of living in the present and following your heart.

I do have to say that the very last scene was a disappointment for me. The friends had all gotten back together again, but what Mei was looking at made me feel like she was still trapped in the past. Possibly not, but that's the way I saw it.

This is a drama that is well worth a watch. Depending upon how much of a crier you are, I suggest you have tissues handy.

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