Amy
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Although I've never seen any of the base material for the live-action drama, as a stand alone, it's just as amazing. I haven't seen any e-sports dramas like this, if any at all. The biggest beauty of the King's Avatar is that it's so intricately complex in terms of character arcs. Our main lead, Ye Xiu has been a gamer ever since his childhood, and is known by his stage name as Ye Qiu (which also gets clearer later on within the drama). As the top player of a game called Glory, he's the captain of the Jiashi team, which has predominantly beaten the other teams in competitions for the past few years. Although it's not romance focused, there's a bond that's formed between Ye Xiu and the three female leads, the bond through Glory. Glory is the intricate weaving that connects everyone in this drama, which is further proving that games truly connect us all in some shape or form. His redemption story begins, and you can see that Ye Xiu begins to learn more about the real world, one that he often ignored due to the immersion in the virtual world of Glory. His story plot follows the cliche redemption path but you can tell that the effort given into it is what makes it so unique. As a player that is considered a veteran and should be retiring, Ye Xiu aims to find Glory once more. His main path to finding it is surrounded by allies, players that have faced him over the years, and enemies that block his path. Ye Xiu's story becomes everyone's story in its own special way, his journey being shared by many of his friends and family.
In terms of the cast, I don't think this drama could've been executed if it weren't for Yang Yang in a way. He just seemed perfect for the role in my mind. However, this is a review not based on other material (which I know there is) so I could be biased due to my Love O2O days, another drama you should check out. I can also attest to the fact that everyone had their own charisma that they brought to the character. This also had to be the most handsome league of players I've ever seen, because honestly, every team had an attractive player, both male and female. Ye Xiu had my heart, but then he shared it with Yi Fan, An Wen Yi, Yu Wen Zhou (a personal favorite), and many more other characters. I also found the three main female leads to be super cute in their own unique ways, my favorite probably going to Tang Rou just because she's also got an interesting story arc.
I was also stuck singing the opening song from this drama for a whole week, so I had to give it a high score for music. It was a general soundtrack, but nothing that made my ears bleed, so I'm satisfied in that department.
If I were to re-watch King's Avatar, I would probably skip most of the beginning episodes since I know what happens and I find it less entertaining that the show after the first few, but I would love watching it again in general.
King's Avatar is the path to finding Glory, even when you think you've strayed too far off.
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Million Yen Women is the drama that completely ate me up which resulted in binge watching it in one day. Here's why:The story which revolves around Shin, an underrated novelist, who finds himself living with 5 estranged women that all pay him a million yen for rent each month. Each woman was offered a vague invitation and now find themselves living under specific rules with each other. On the surface, Million Yen Women never really appealed to me. I was never the type to go for this kind of drama you could say so when I started watching it for fun, it became obvious that I couldn't finish watching it until I knew the ending to their story. Million Yen Women may be different to what you would watch, or maybe it's right up your alley. Either way, it's a story that dives deeper than what I could possibly imagine, ever. The intricacy of each character's story and how it all becomes part of this big cohesive one is addicting. At first, I didn't think much of this drama. However, by the time I was finished, it opened up so many emotions that I couldn't believe that I didn't watch it sooner. It's not a story that ends at one point, but continues on. Shin, Hitomi, Minami, Yuki, Nanaka and Midori all leave this impact on you as a viewer that you just can't shake off no matter what. Each one of them have their own ideals and personalities that just add to your addiction for this drama. So therefore I must say that Million Yen Women is not easily a story that can be summarized without spoilers. Hence, I wholeheartedly recommend this drama to you.
Now, the acting in this drama has been one of my favorites for a while. Each actor/actress is able to take control of their respective characters so easily and compellingly. Their overall performance completely blew me away. I'm sure it's not as easy as it seems to play some of the characters, such as Minami or Yuki. That being said, I really enjoyed the tone they were able to set throughout this drama. Some pretty dang good acting? Present for Million Yen Women.
I never really thought about the music but it really does paint the backdrop for the drama itself. The certain songs and background music really added the suspense and emotion to the drama. It's some pretty good music in my opinion, nothing that'll make you want to rip your ears off (or so I hope).
Of course, I will be rewatching Million Yen Women in the future. After the initial viewing has saturated into me, I'm more than likely to watch it again to re-live everything I experienced the first time. Of course it'll be different which can either be good or bad depending on how you see it as, but I like to think that now that I know the ending and how the story plays out, it'll add a different experience.
I can't say much more about this drama without giving away spoilers in my opinion. The complexity and rawness of the story can only be truly known if you watch it, which you should. From a drama lover to review reader, take my word on this one.
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To me, this story never has a dull moment. Which for some is either good or bad. It doesn't stop the drama for filler material much and is consistently delivering the plot. Chuyu and Rong Zhi are fated yet also star-crossed with each other. As the initial story takes place, you're wrapped around their relationship and how it develops so deeply in their initial meeting. The thing about Untouchable Lovers is that it's almost two plots wrapped in one. Due to their fate, they end up separated from each other, left with no memories of the other person. It's also this same fate that brings them back together and dictates their ending. At one point, I found myself slightly confused on what had happened as the plot shifted until I realized that their story is never ending. It's the complexity of their relationship and their history together that really draws you into their story. The story doesn't just focus on their love but also the enemies and allies they encounter in their lives throughout the plot. It depicts a brutal picture of what lies and backstabbing you encounter in such a place, the royal palace. You fall in love with almost every character and you hate a bunch of them also. It's a rollercoaster ride that doesn't stop until the very last minute of the drama and in my opinion, one of the best plots I've watched in a while. The one thing I did dislike was how the stories of some characters ended, from both the initial story and the secondary story (I prefer to break them up). However, I did like how cohesive the picture came to and how well produced this drama was in the end.
The actors/actresses were amazing in this drama. Some of them even played various roles that are completely opposite to the other. It's truly an amazing cast that makes you fall in love with both their role and the actor/actress themselves. I personally enjoyed the performance by Guan Gabrielle and Song Wei Long. To play the roles of Chuyu and Rong Zhi is no easy thing in my opinion, especially with how detailed this drama is. I will also admit that I was the person who watched Oh! My Emperor before Untouchable Lovers so to see Zhao Lusi in another historical drama with such an opposite role to Oh! My Emperor was refreshing. I will definitely be on the look out for more works from the cast of Untouchable Lovers after their impactful performance that I witnessed throughout the drama.
(Oh! My Emperor is another good drama that I recommend. It has slight holes and such but it's overall well done.)
It's been a while since I've said anything about music in dramas. That's mainly because to me, they're neither good nor bad most of the time. Untouchable Lovers, however, has such an amazing soundtrack that I couldn't help myself. Please note that taste in music may differ but in my honest opinion, the selection for the songs at the beginning and end was one of the best. The music really applies to the story itself and invokes this feeling that pairs well with the plot. I recommend that you check them out.
Finally, I would surely watch this drama again if you asked me to. It's one of those dramas that you just can't forget easily and you don't want to so you therefore watch it again to make sure you don't. If that doesn't make sense, then maybe you haven't found a drama that's worth the rewatch.
That is why I recommend this drama to anyone who is a fan of the genre. You don't have to though, it's a drama made for anyone that wants to watch it, which you should. This is all based on my opinion of the drama so it may differ from any opinions you have, watch it and find out.
This has been Untouchable Lovers.
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The story centers around the relationship between Tak and Da In and how far their love really goes. As Tak relives the same day over and over, he realizes that Da In is at the epicenter of it. Although it does have its cliches, the story impacts your heart strings on how Tak truly opens his eyes to the girl in front of him. It portrays their love as a rocky rollercoaster that finds its end, in it's own twist and turns. It brings along flashbacks that show how they first met and how their love slowly blossomed, which I believe added to the ending of the story, one that I was surely not expecting. Love and heartbreak are a destined pair for this romance, and its something you don't want to miss in a way.
NOTE: you will cry, at least I did.
The acting, oh the acting. I've known L as a member of INFINITE and an amazing actor - he didn't disappoint me here either. He portrays Tak so perfectly in every way while executing the emotion of the character with precision. I also can't forget Yoon So Hee who plays Da In. She does have moments (for me) where her acting is kind of bland and basic but then she slaps me back in the face with spectacular acting. The role of Da In and Yoo Tak surely wouldn't be the same without these two, that's for sure.
I'm not really a indie or rock person but boy did this drama turn me right around. The soundtrack per say is filled with amazing songs that I will be listening on repeat (as I ugly cry) for a while. L has a blessed voice and its a blessed part of this drama that he plays the lead singer of the band.
As for rewatch value, I always say "I don't usually watch dramas again but this drama-" but I actually am not kidding with this one. It's got this spark that drew me to it (as I hope it will to you) that just wants to replay in my head no matter what I do. So yes, this is personally a drama that I would gladly rewatch.
To end this review, like I do with all of my reviews, I encourage you to watch the drama yourself.
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(SN: I was close to crying on this one but held back the tears cause I was accustomed to the angst of dramas. Just a warning if you're a little softhearted.)
Boy oh boy did I love this cast. First of all, I have seen a numerous amount of dramas starring Song Ha Yoon, but never really one where the entire drama was focused on her in a way (You can bet I will now). I also found it cute that she ended up working on another drama with Kim Ji Young, who was with her in My Daughter Geum Sa Wol (Another banging drama). Somehow, I hadn't really seen Choi Jin Hyuk's acting much, as I've found myself missing out on the dramas that he's been in. I do admit, their chemistry was really nice to see in this drama as their kissing scenes were also quite impressive too if I do say so myself.
Music wise, I usually don't pay much attention to the songs that play in a drama such as OSTs unless they're really good, but I did like Ha Yoon's song that she sang in this drama. Overall, it's a pretty average OST pack for me on this drama.
Would I re-watch this drama? Only the juicy episodes. For me, not all episodes are needed in my opinion to refresh my mind on the story, nor did they have much interesting content in my opinion.
This has been Devilish Joy.
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The story revolves around the small town girl, Shan Shan, who moves to Shanghai to work for the big shot company run by none other than Feng Teng. Through special circumstances, the two meet and thus start their office romance. Boss & Me does have a lot of the generic drama components but it also stands out when compared to other dramas. It has an intense struggle between the two main leads and the other characters, and builds off of this unique encounter which makes Feng Teng become attracted to Shan Shan, and vice versa. There's a lot of themes revolving family, office woes, and trust between the two leads. Its happy at times, but I will warn anyone planning to watch that I myself felt my heart clench a few times. In a way, this drama also defied the expectations I had and the cliches that you would think was coming, but actually didn't. The real struggle for me with this drama is that the ending is one that leans towards the "hinting" type of endings than the clarified ones, so that's just a personal preference. It doesn't really take away from the outstanding details that bring this drama together in a big way.
The acting was nice throughout, even though I did have problems with Feng Teng's character as the narrative progressed. Shan Shan had a feel to her acting that complimented the story of the character which is something I enjoyed. The other characters, such as Li Shu, pulled an impressive performance also, showing a lot of depth to the acting in my personal opinion. Overall, the chemistry between the main leads was sweet and the acting of the cast was stable.
For music, there wasn't really much to say. It was enjoyable but nothing memorable for my tastes. However, I rarely heard the beginning song since the subtitles I watched had glitchy audio. That's just my experience in terms of music.
I rarely watch dramas again but in simple terms, I would gladly rewatch this drama. It had a subtle sweetness that was also combated with angsty emotional rollercoasters. If I were to have the time, I would probably watch it again just to re-live it all again.
Thus, it is my verdict that if you haven't watched Boss & Me, you're probably missing out on a good drama. If you don't believe me, I encourage you to at least try and watch the drama.
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My biggest takeaway about this drama was how short it was. Playlist often likes to release these small stories which leave you wanting more but they're taken as that, short stories. You shouldn't expect a full plot or concrete ending but it is a fun journey watching the drama. The two part drama focused mainly on the intricacy of a world where your soulmate's name is engraved somewhere on your body. There are that that are unnamed, and that that are named. As Jae Ha faces a crisis about his sexuality slightly, as he mistakes Ji Woo for a guy, the depth of the story grows beyond gender. To me, the main focus was Jae Ha realizing that even if Ji Woo was a guy, he still fell for her regardless of her gender after overcoming that initial fear. It was a nice touch to the story as it also added a comedic factory since Ji Woo is actually a girl. Their initial encounter is quite memorable as it shows how in a world where most people know the names of the soulmates, it doesn't mean that love comes right away for some people. Jae Ha mistook Ji Woo for a guy and thus had this self identity crisis on his sexuality. Ji Woo thought Jae Ha was and then wasn't her soulmate, but still began to realize that even if he wasn't, she still liked him. You throw in Han Kyul for confusion and comedic factor, and its a complete short drama for me.
The drama portrayed the struggles of being named and unnamed, the duality of knowing and actually feeling. Was this drama perfect? No.
However, I think as a short drama to watch on a day inside, it's a cute little story to add to your list.
This has been, Dear My Name.
S/N: Stan B1A4. Jinyoung and Gongchan are becoming my favorite actors as of late. BANA for life.
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I enjoyed the 1st season a lot more than the 2nd right off the bat. The 1st one seemed a lot more interesting to watch and had more depth to it. This season kind of seemed like the typical "let me down" second season. The plot felt slightly brushed over? It wasn't as developed as the 1st season was but still had some qualities that were enjoyable about the 1st one. I think the ending left off on a sweeter note than I expected too (so if you're into a sweet one, try watching it). The actors were the same except the dramatics between Simba and his constant chasing after Shiya situation. My heart was tugged at just as much in this season as the 1st, which is throughly enjoyable and sad at the same time. I wouldn't watch this season again though. It lacked the things from S1 that I enjoyed so much about the series. It seemed to be the extra fat from S1 that was kept on. Overall, a good series.
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The plot is something that will surely stab your heart a few times and twist it in a full circle. As Kira navigates the reality of his situation, he finds himself befriending the "odd" girl of his class, Ninon. The two protagonists lead the viewers through their woes and their relationship. A rollercoaster of emotions, a few tears, and a lot of cliche romance puzzle pieces and you get the story of Today's Kira-kun. This is just the surface that is developed throughout the movie, and most likely embedding itself in a place in your heart.
Overall, I think the actors/actresses did an amazing job of portraying their respectful characters. I especially enjoyed the rawness of Nakagawa Taishi's acting that's paired with the portrayal of Ninon by Iitoyo Marie. The characters such as Kira's best friend, Yabe, act as a pillar that support the story between the two main leads.
SIDE NOTE: In case you haven't also checked out the actors, their appearing in another drama together (with Nakagawa Taishi being the main lead and Iitoyo Marie appearing as a supporting role) which is the sequel to Hana Yori Dango. Hana Nochi Hare: HanaDan Next Season is also another drama I would recommend to those who like romance genre.
As usual, I find myself simply liking the music in movies/dramas. Although there's nothing download worthy in my fair opinion, there's also nothing horrible. I recommend giving it a listen still (as everyone has a different taste).
To conclude this review, I am most definitely going to re-watch this movie in the future. It hits the heart where it needs to which is what I find refreshing about Japanese movies, they wrangle the viewer into the story.
If you're into the rom-com genre and want to check off a Japanese movie from whatever list you may have, watch Today's Kira-kun. Either way, I recommend it to anyone who is into this kind of genre.
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The actors were well suited (even though Tae Woon looked clearly on the older side, I loved Eun Ho) and the overall vibe was nice throughout the drama. The lessons were realistic in my perspective and the story gave a good development for the characters. Eun Ho is the typical bad student and Tae Woon is the typical bad boy. I think their chemistry was nicely stirred in a pot and given a little bit more time to boil than I thought it would. The story of going against the corruption in a known school is centered around these two, along with their group of friends. It felt nice to see relationships grow and fall apart, and how a lot of things are tested in high school. From love, friendships, to family, School 2017 put a lot of it into one big drama.
Why isn't this drama getting a perfect score:
It's not perfect, I will easily admit that. The plot was stable, but did have a few holes here and there. The story could've been slightly better in my opinion. I don't think a lot of things were properly explained throughout the drama which is where the story falls short on the rating scale. It also drags at certain parts of the drama which makes it lose any rewatch value - making it more of a "I just want to finish this already" type of drama. The cast surely could've been more younger? I get Koreans look young for their age and all but I truly believe Tae Woon looked just a little too old. The ending was a little - ill planned? It felt dragged yet rushed at the same time, which was a new for me in a drama.
Overall:
It's a good drama, not too bad yet not the most spectacular one I've watched in my honest opinion.
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This review may contain spoilers
I only decided to write one review for this series since Season Two is a straight continuation of Season One. An Chu Xia and Han Qi Lu are static and dynamic at the same time. As their relationship progresses from strangers that had a twist of fate meeting to something more, I found myself getting slightly addicting to this drama, just to see the ending (but more on that later on, if you want spoilers). I will admit the story is a bit bland and one noted, if not kind of messy, but it's still a decent plot that you can follow. The development is plotted more clearly towards the end of Season One and it's a bit more thought out throughout Season Two. I do find myself wishing they had a more in-depth explanation for things, where I do feel the ending was slightly rushed to this series because of that. Overall, it's a lighthearted romance that has points of humor and lots of drama and snakes (you have been warned about the snakes!). If you're like myself, you'll find a major dislike towards certain characters, even the main leads at times, but you'll probably enjoy it. The 46 episodes in total as a whole are better when compared to certain episodes and moments. Chu Xia is a character that really draws you in, because you never know her thoughts at times but you can read her like an open book the other times. Qi Lu is also quite the common cold-hearted boy that's had a grudge due to past experience, which is also what makes his character unbearable at times. The side characters are expressive throughout the series which is something I enjoyed more than usual. It's cute, nice, and definitely new to my taste in a way. ! Now, for the things I didn't like. Note, there WILL be spoilers: !
! You have been warned !
1. Han Qi Lu is insufferable due to his trauma from Man Kui and it's honestly the reason that this drama kinda of dragged on, he's constantly acting in this personality of not really showing his feelings but also showing them in the wrong way, which is how Chu Xia interprets them half of the time. So, hate the character slightly, but not that much cause he has underlying good intentions.
2. Man Kui. Where to start? She's so manipulative you want to punch her in the face, even with the fact that her whole reason for coming back for the boy she left without thought is that her right hand is no longer able to perform. She's a TRUE SNAKE, on par with Xin Wei, that's for sure. Her actions are so easily overlooked because of Qi Lu's softness for her (?) I guess you could say? I think it's more of him still having slight feelings for her, but that's just how I saw it. Her character evens out in the end, but only after a lot of dragging on the series due to misconceptions.
3. Chu Xia and Qi Lu deserved a better ending in my opinion. The ending to this series wasn't fulfilling, and was more of a "up to your imagination" type of ending, which is the kind I mainly stray away from. It left a slightly bitter note for me since I was anticipating an ending that explained a lot more about what happened, and not just for them, but for the side characters also. I want to know if Xiao Nan got together with Chen Chuan, if Han Yu found someone, and whether or not Chu Xia and Qi Lu were able to stand the test of time and how their relationship was.
4. My final note on this drama is that I wish they properly started it. The first few episodes nearly discouraged me from continuing on with the drama (even though I pulled through) and was quite hard for me to understand. You're going from one minute where there's a fake hostage crisis to Chu Xia's mother dying and giving her organ(s) to the father of Qi Lu. This all leads to the set up of the story which I naturally understood, but the manner of the execution could've been improved in my opinion.
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Scarlet Heart Ryeo. It's packed with an amazing cast, a storyline that just makes you want to scream at your screen, and the soundtrack that could save Goryeo itself. Let's start with the main couple: Hae Soo and Wang So, the couple that ruins you. One is a time traveler essentially that is stuck in Goryeo where power is constantly yearned for by the royal family, or the group of blessed children I like to call. Between all of the handsome brothers, there's the black sheep of the family, Wang So. It may be your casual black sheep with the pretty girl, but Hae Soo's motives turn into the story of the land. Her relationship with Wang So is complicated and tested through their lives. Wang So also struggles with his family that he basically hates. All together, it makes the perfect historical drama with power struggles and a bunch of cupid arrows. If you're into historical dramas, watch this, if not, still watch it because it's that good. I'll admit, this story didn't captivate me until after it aired, but it's a story that's forever embedded into my mind. I highly recommend anyone to watch this drama and give their own opinion of how they liked (And hated) this story of Goryeo. NOTE: I would recommend tissues, just a heads up. (I went through quite a lot unexpectedly cause I didn't read the reviews before watching.)But... I must point out parts of this drama that should probably only be read if you want to read them.
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!SPOILER ALERT!
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Let me start with how bitter I am about that cliffhanger. I know the 2nd season (if they ever had one) is suppose to revolve about them meeting in the modern world which was truly a heartbreak for me when I found out it wasn't happening. Wang So and Hae Soo probably could've had a happier ending, but that's what made me cry and love about this drama so much. The cliffhanger was supposed to be continued with a second season I'm sure but it sucks for fans of the series that probably were petitioning (I know I did) and fighting for them to properly end this story. I will admit, I had some second lead syndromes here and there, but was overall a pile of salt when I realized Wang So's tragic ending. More than anyone, I think he got the short end of the stick. I mean after all, he lost the girl he loved because of a whole misunderstanding and didn't even know about his daughter, which also by the way confused me. I interpreted it as him assuming the kid wasn't his, but rather the child of Hae Soo and Wang Jung. All in all, the ending sucked and I wished there was a second season.
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