Reviews

2005/MBC

So we're back in 2005, over 6-7 years ago. A rather youthful Hyun Bin delivers a performance that easily matches his role in Secret Garden. For some reason though, the writers still demand that he plays rather outrageous and unbelievable characters with little common sense that people could relate to. It's a Korean drama, so no big surprise there. Take that for granted and you will enjoy the performances of the other leads as well. Kim Sun-A as lead Kim Sam-Soon delivers a (relative to other dramas) very realistic performances which clearly translates itself into the ratings it received when it first aired. The other actors and actresses don't disappoint either, all of them give credible performances. Special attention deserves to go out to the performances of Yun Ye-Hee as Yoon Hyun-Sook (President Na's secretary) and Lee A-Hyeon as Kim Yi-Young (Sam Soon's sister) for both giving very good performances.

The usual paragraph that I spend on complaining about how the support characters did not get enough screen time can be kept short for this drama. The only issue I have is that a few ends remain loose and the fact that we lose sight of a few other supporting characters. I wish they would just cut the flashbacks accompanied by music and award the time to characters such as Lee in-Hye (played by Han Yeo-Woon ), Jang Young-Ja ( Kim Hyun-Jung ) and cute little Mi-Joo ( Seo Ji-Hee ].

The script is not very unfamiliar for those that have seen Bridget Jones' Diary, but there is enough Korean culture mixed into this drama in order for it to come across as original. It also makes this drama more daring than many of the popular dramas that have followed since. Many of today's dramas don't dare or simply don't care about that additional level of realism. I wish they'd try more though, but this is really an achievement that sets this drama apart from others.

I wasn't exceptionally moved by the music in this drama, although Bonbons au Chocolat was a very touching instrumental track, played throughout the drama in a few different variations. The slower ones were the better ones in my opinion.

I would recommend this drama, most definitely. It is ageing rapidly though, so if you're trying to catch up on kdrama's from the past, let this be high up on your list.

7/10

http://www.reddit.com/r/KDRAMA/comments/llv67/my_name_is_kim_sam_soon?_???_???_2005mbc_more/

Leia Mais

Another week, another drama finished. This time, it was My Princess. I really didn't know what to expect from this one, so I didn't go in with a lot of expectations. The first few episodes were decent enough while the plot was developing itself. But over time, the story simple lost its sense of direction and ground to a halt. I don't take issue with any single of the actors' and actresses' performances, this one is caused by writers and the editors.

The plot has to settle down, sure, but in this drama it simply doesn't pick up any more. Only Park Ye-Jin's character Oh Yun Jo keeps the plot refreshing, but she eventually gets phased out rather easily. What's left is a few insignificant side shows that fail to garner interest, in my view. As with most of the others dramas I saw, many support characters are left undeveloped or don't get enough time on the screen to show credible development. Oh Yun Jo's relation with Professor Nam changes, but is not really explained, nor is her relation with her father elaborated on. Lee-Sool's (step)mother is gently phased out over time, which is a shame. The princess' sister Dan only receives a few moments in the last few episodes. Sure, she's in hiding and all, but that's all the time they had to spare? I mean, they have 16 hours! A few moments are given to Guni (Geon works too) and Shin Mi-So the palace maid, but just two or three scenes are to explain their entire relationship. The same goes for the adventures of the politicians, whose actions could have been elaborated on for those who enjoyed Dae Mul, City Hunter and similar dramas.

If you like any of the actors and/or actresses that play in this drama, by all means give it a shot. All of the lead cast deliver decent performances even though they are being held down by the script at times. The supporting cast does very well too, but I've explained more than enough about that earlier.

Anyone looking for a 'good' drama, there are better ones out there.

5/10

http://www.reddit.com/r/KDRAMA/comments/l9zgq/my_princess??_????_2011mbc_lost_its_direction/

Leia Mais

Marry Me, Mary! KBS2, 2010

Just finished the last episode and I have to say this one didn't get better over time. The further down the line, the less interesting this drama gets, I felt it was becoming difficult to relate to pretty much any of the characters. I initially choose to watch this drama because of the female lead Moon Geun-Young's performance in Cinderella's Sister which I thought was great. However, it was not meant to last past the first half of this series.

Out of all the characters, there's just Kim Hyo-Jin's performance and a brief appearance by Yun Yu-Seon which stand out. Geun-Young's character Mary doesn't seem to suit her too well, but at least she has decent acting abilities. I was not impressed at all with Jang Geun-Suk nor with Kim Jae-Wook and the latter reminded me of Micky Yoochun's performance in Sungkyunkwan Scandal, bland, plain, boring and apparently void of emotions. The other actors either fail to make themselves notable or just didn't get enough time on the screen in order to show their capabilities. I like it when supporting characters' stories are explored, that didn't happen in this drama.
The music was alright in this drama, which is good because it plays a fairly important role in the story. I felt though that they could have given some more time for Kim Hyo-Jin (Seo-Jun) and Lee Sun-Ho (Lee-Ahn) to also show some acting. The drama production plays a central role in the story after all.

The story was decent I suppose, but I was never really happily surprised by the twists and turns throughout the drama. None of them were particularly inspiring or elevated the drama to a new level. Some of them were even meaningless altogether. Nothing to be in awe about.
I wouldn't want to go as far as saying that one should definitely avoid this drama, I'm sure there's plenty of people who would still enjoy seeing this a lot, but for me this was a disappointment.

5/10

http://www.reddit.com/r/KDRAMA/comments/l0q67/marry_me_mary_mary_stayed_out_all_night???_???/

Leia Mais

I'm a person that has watched SEVERAL dramas, Korean, Taiwanese, and Japanese. I'm a VERY picky person when it comes to dramas, if the plot doesn't hook me or drag me into the story, I drop the drama. So when I stumbled onto 'Bridal Mask' I was pleasantly surprised on how suspenseful it is; the main character is very dynamic. Bridal Mask isn't your average korean drama with simple romance and a bit of a serious plot. Every moment in Bridal Mask is serious and tense, well there are some comedic reliefs to let the viewers rest.
This drama draws you in, probably by far one of the best korean dramas I've watched. The lead actor, Joo Won does a brilliant job of portraying Lee Kang To, a ruthless pro japanese officer. He did such a wonderful job that I hated his character so much. His acting is just superb, I didn't expect this cruel side of him. The lead actress, Jin Se Yun is a new actress. To be honest, I did not quite like the main female character, Mok Dan. I wish the screenwriters could have developed Mok Dan into a better character because so far in the drama, all she has basically done was run, get caught, run, get caught again. She does serve as an important character to Lee Kang To because she becomes a love interest. Then there is Kimura Shunji, played by the second lead actor. Shunji's character development was a big twist in the drama. I praise the actor for Shunji because I certainly did not expect such a character change.

Overall, this drama is a must watch.

Leia Mais

It is a good show to watch. Right from the start you can tell exactly where the story is heading it wasn't confusing and and a person who is hip to things could tell that every body would eventually come together. I like k dramas very much . Now i admit i get annoyed at how dumb the A/C act sometimes but ultimately you should for sure watch. If ur thing i don't want to watch something that goes back that far or it's too long i am teeling u it is very much worth the time to watch. espically if u like K dramas with revenge and the bad guy gets his in the end. also there is a good love story in it with all of the sibllings but def the sister. Thxs for reading:)

Leia Mais

I really like this film it makes me think and think until the end.
And also I felt sad for both of them :((
I just found this review and copy it. Just to share!
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One Day is continuing my lucky streak of picking quality Taiwanese films (Honey PuPu, Blowfish, Starry, Starry Night and Make Up), making me wonder why so many people are still ignoring (or missing) the obvious (artistic) growth of the Taiwanese cinema industry these past couple of years. One Day is everything a good romantic film should be, with some spicy fantastical overtones thrown in for good measure.

If you've been paying attention to my reviews the name Chi-jan Hou's might ring a little bell. Chi-jan Hou was responsible for the Juliet's Choice segment in Juliets, which I must admit did raise expectations considerably. Though I still prefer his short segment in Juliets Hou definitely delivers with One Day, marking him as one of the current talents of Taiwanese cinema and hopefully one to look out for in the future.

One Day takes a while to settle in. Hou liberally switches between different time lines and jumps rather drastically between scenes, leaving his audience in the dark for the larger part of the first half hour. No need to panic though, as the film goes on all the mysteries will be cleared up. By the time the end credits roll across the screen you'll have a coherent storyline that, even though not quite realistic, is easy enough to understand. The mysterious elements Hou introduces do work in favor of the romance though, granting the film fairytale-like qualities (though with a darker rim than usual).

One Day follows the life of Singing, a young girl working on a local ferry service, earning her some extra money. On one of her trips she bumps into Tsung, a young army boy who seems to know Singing from somewhere. That same night the ferry breaks down and all the passengers on the ferry are suddenly missing, nowhere to be found. Only Tsung, Singing and a recluse Indian man remain on the ship, unaware of their remarkable fate.

Stylistically you should know what to expect by now. Visually speaking One Day is a truly beautiful film, filled to the brim with exceptional camera work and delicate, well-orchestrated shots. A perfect, well-balanced mix of Japanese minimalism and Chinese grandeur. A lovely visual tone of voice that makes romances like these all the more agreeable and keeps them from turning into sentimental monstrosities.

The same goes for the soundtrack. Sure you know what a piano-tune soundtrack sounds like by now, but as long as it's quietly doing its thing in the background, slyly setting out the boundaries for a warm, enveloping atmosphere, there's nothing inherently wrong with it. You might not even notice the soundtrack while watching One Day, but you can be sure it's working its magic in the background.

The romance of One Day is firmly positioned on the shoulders of Bryan Chang and Nikki Hsieh. The supporting cast is decent enough, but their roles are so minimal that they are hardly worth mentioning. Chang and Hsieh make for a great on-screen couple and really pull the focus of the film towards them. Not to spoil too much, but the chemistry between the both of them is essential to the film's finale. Between the both of them, Hsieh (Make Up, Honey PuPu) is clearly the biggest talent though and is practically assured of a great future in acting.

Little by little the mysteries clear up and slowly the inevitable ending reveals itself. It's a worthy finale, excellently executed and highly effective. Seasoned film fans won't be too surprised by it, but as is often the case, execution trumps originality. Even though Hou pretty much unveils all the mysterious threads of One Day, there's still a certain cloak of mystery hanging over the film when the film ends. It keeps the reigning atmosphere of the film alive while still providing a neatly tied up ending.

One Day is above all a stylish romance, with some supernatural touches thrown in for good measure. It's a beautiful film, wonderfully executed and growing more engrossing with each passing minute. The film knows little to no weak point, and if you feel lost during the first half hour just reassure yourself that everything will be made clear by the end. Probably not the best entry film for people interested in the current wave of modern Taiwanese cinema, but a great recommendation for existing fans.

Leia Mais

I don't often come across a romantic comedy that makes me excited to see the next episode each week, but that seems to be the case for me with Rich Man Poor Woman. I think the main characters have depth, and their interactions with each other seems to make each character grow a little bit, even though so far there have only been 4 episodes. The plot is quite interesting really, I like the quirkiness of Hyuuga and the sporadic spunkiness of the female lead. The supporting characters are generally fun to watch as well, though I think their roles seem to only accentuate and deepen the main characters. Anyway, I love this show quite a bit already, and can't wait to see what happens next!

Leia Mais

Looking back I had a feeling a I probably would not like this movie, the plot line just seemed...different...from anything else I have heard about but the acting was DREADFUL. The main lead's english was superb but that was it...he was 1D, dry, and not ineresting nor engaging; and to top it off I thought his acting skills, to be nice, need polishing.

The different storyline was the reason I had become inerested in this movie but the way they chose to protray the plot was unineresting. THe reason the story earned a 5 was because there were some funny sences that I could not help but laugh. The acting was poor so that got a 3 while the music was unmemorable and did not help further the watcher's inerest and emotions nor did the music support the plot line.

This movie did not grab hold of my emotions nor did I feel any excitement and chemistry from the actors. I begun to skip around becuase the plot was becoming too tiresome and drawn out.

Overall I gave it a 2 maybe a 2.5 but I would not try to re-watch it.

Leia Mais

After placing it on hold for a while..... Finally, I finished watching In Time With You.....

Before I dive into the concept of ITWY and all..... The Osts are one of the best I've heard in TW-Dramas.... I haven't watched a handful of TW-Dramas though.....

The drama started out well...... the plot goes thus: How two ''good friends'' realised their true feelings for each other..... and a lot of drama including exes, family issues, classmates, friends, work and all happened in between.

The actors did a good job at portraying their characters.... which made the drama really likeable.

The drama started out well as I've early said, but it started going in circles, which prompted me to place it on hold for a while.... but I picked it back up and it was really worth the watch.... you see how their relationship as ''good friends/buddies'' evolve, how blind the female lead was and how everybody - friends and family knew they were perfect for each other, while they still looked at themselves as good friends.... There is also the Sailor Moon concept, which I sorta liked... I guess, I will have to check out Sailor moon soon.

Ending- It was tooo (very)cute.... I was really happy I didn't miss out on such a drama....

Leia Mais

Fans of this drama will not want to read my review. If I were to summarise it in one word, it's "overrated".

Having watched Rooftop Prince before this, I was very eager to watch this show especially after seeing that it has an even higher rating than Rooftop Prince, which to me is one of the best drama I ever watched this year. But when you have high hope like this, I guess you get disappointed more easily.

Let's talk about the good point of this drama first - the excellent chemistry between the two leads. Yes, this is what kept me going and why this drama does not score even lower in my overall rating. Their chemistry were so good that if anyone has told me that they are real-life lovers during the show, I would have believed it 100% (yes, and it turns out that they are!). If you want a show with sweet romance, this is really an excellent show!

Now onto the bad point - the plot! I felt the starting was a bit messy and confusing especially the josen period, but that is still tolerable, what is not quite tolerable is the inconsistency of the time-travel element. At first, it was very clear how the time travel could be activated, however midway through the show, it seems that some instances of the time-travel does not seems quite consistent, there was a particular part in the show which makes me felt like a 3 yrs old child, i.e. being cheated in the most illogical fashion. (I shall not say which part it is due to spoiler)

Basically, if you just want pure heart-warming romance, this is the show for you, but please do not apply any rational thinking while watching the show, just follow the flow and you will be happier. I mean, even though the concept of time travel is already irrational in the first place, but if you were to compare for the sake of comparison, in Rooftop Prince, you have a much more believable and convincing plot to the time-travelling irrationality.

Leia Mais

This is a light movie for when you are sad or in a bad mood. It has good looking actors and it is sweet. At the beginning I felt that things were a little bit rushed and it was superficial, however towards the end the fighting scene, the tension and the music were superb combined together, and the whisperings almost blew me away. I love actress Shin Min Ah, this is my second drama that I've watched with her (the first one is My girlfriend is a Gumiho which I HIGHLY recommend). Yu Geon is so handsome, he is totally my type, and I couldn't help myself from squealing like a little girl every time he appeared.
This is a fun movie and it is very light. It makes you dreamy so you shouldn't have high expectations from it, however it is a nice movie. Enjoy!

Leia Mais

That is the most marvelous drama I've seen. Frankly speaking I started watching it only because T.O.P. was in the cast but as soon as I started the plot with it characters just took me in them. Everything was so realistic and I fell in love with ever character, trying to understand the purpose of every action done.
The OST were awesome (I'm a little bit disappointed though, as Hallelujah by Big Bang was played only two or three times).
And you know what? Before watching I heard that IRIS was quite boring and stupid and almost believed it. That is why remember, NEVER JUDGE ANYTHING JUST BY OTHER'S SAYING! It is better to see once than hear a hundred times about it.

Leia Mais

I gave myself a total of two months before writing this review. Why? Because the ending will make you hate it. But after these two months I took a step back and looked at the whole show. And wow, it was really good. Actors played their parts very very well. Plot development was amazing. The music...wow..the music, the OST has a spanish swing to it that just sticks in your head. I have to talk about character development here, because that is what it comes down to and what people hate the ending for. Character development is very key in this drama. Characters were depicted perfectly as greedy, jealous, self-living, spineless, backstabbing people left and right. Each episode developed the conflict further and further (which could have just been solved by taking to each other, but that doesn't happen in Kdrama land). Until a boiling point is reached and the last episode shows the reality of the Fashion world and that its not always pretty. (which is why people hated the show)

Leia Mais