Reviews

I started watching this drama because of Matsuda (love him). I read the synopsis and said that doesn't look like a good idea so I put this one to the back of my "to watch list". I thought it was going to be super pervy/ hentai/ ecchi/ and whatever else, but it wasn't. This is a really cute and sweet story about a random group of people using each other and finding out that what they really wanted may not be what they thought. As the characters grow and mature and act accordingly you become more entangled with them. I loved the acting, and I really liked the characters. The story is a bit hard to follow and because a lot of puns are used, its sometimes hard to get some of the jokes. That aside the whole drama is as much of a comedy as it is a mystery, and reminded me a lot of Liar Game. The writer of the drama seems to keep his audience in the dark on the truth that's actually happening, so you have to do a lot of reading between the lines and keeping an open mind. At the end you wish happiness for everyone, because it ends really well. Yea! Panda!

Leia Mais

If you watched "Iljimae" with Jun Ki and liked it you probably wont like this one. This is not a sequel to Jun Ki's Iljimae, this is a different version of the same story. Return to Iljimae seems to stick really close to history and drifts far from the fantasy that I loved in Iljimae.



This version also tells its story by frequent flash backs and moments in the past, which until you get the hang of it makes it difficult to follow. The story divulges into to the past of all its characters, thus dragging out the series and can sometimes seem to beat a already dead horse.



The quick action is left to a minimum in this version, and Il Woo just wasnt as charismatic as Jun Ki was.



-Bottom line "Return to Iljimae" seems to be a true history piece, slowly dragging you behind the main character. Can easily be fast forwarded . On the upside Il woo is cute when he smiles and this one seemed to have a larger production budget.

Leia Mais

I didn't like this drama. Sure at first it starts off awesome and funny, but by the 15th episode you just want to stop watching. I seriously fast forwarded through the end of this drama, not because of the lack of subs but the lack of content. The concept is that a older woman falls in love with a younger man but cannot get over her age differences with him. She also plays around with getting back with her ex- but cannot let go of the younger guy even though she said she cant be with him. The main idea is that the character played by Cheryl is way more vulnerable than she appears to be, and is afraid of what society may say about her relationship. I did like that it was funny, with many funny moments- the people that Shan wu shang worked with were hilarious. You will see a lot of familiar Taiwanese drama faces, so be ready for "she was in..." or "he was in...". If you can watch it on Viki.com, the user comments make the drama even more hilarious. Loved James Wen, although his reasoning sucked I blame that on the writers not the beautiful actor. I didn't like the over-acting, ethan was completely afflicted with it. I didn't like the big deal they made about her being 35, like she had one foot in death. I also didn't like how long it took for them to develop one idea, like I mentioned they drag it into the ground and milk the concept dry. Watch this drama for cute guys and if you have time.

Leia Mais

At first I was hesitant to watch this drama because just by reading the plot it seemed boring to me but my uncle and many of my friends told me that I should watch it. They said it was very emotional. My uncle who doesn't normally cry while watching dramas cried in this drama, so I thought why not. Indeed they were right. The drama is not like any normal dramas where the main characters would fall in love. One of the reasons why I loved this drama because it had a bit of fantasy. I shed so many tears in this drama like there was no tomorrow. 49 Days really taught me something. It taught me that life isn't fair and that we should always live our lives as if it is our last. Right now it about to be 5am and I just finished watching the drama. I pulled off an all nighter just to finish this drama that's how good it is. I finished this drama in 3 days. I'm sure that you will enjoy watching this drama like I did. The intensity and the suspense in the drama really make you want to punch some of the characters in the drama. Just by watching the first episode, water works already happened. Enjoy the drama because it's really worth your time!

Leia Mais

I liked the story by itself a lot. I felt it dragged a little in some parts, though, and they did a lot of flashbacks throughout the episodes. Also, there were parts in the story that were a bit unrealistic. I felt that Hebe and Mike He had good chemistry, though, and they played their parts well. I only wish the characters would have had more romantic scenes in the show, but it was still good. I would have to say the soundtrack to this drama is one of my favorites so far, music by S.H.E and the instrumentals they played in the background were just great (: Overall, I would say this drama is worth watching! It's a cute love story.

Leia Mais

To be honest I enjoyed this drama more for the cast than the actual story.

The story and plot are fast paced in the beginning because its new and the characters are starting to interact with each other. It starts off funny but becomes drama central in the second half. The ending was short but cute.

I loved the entire cast but the main 4 leads had this chemistry. I seriously loved watching them interact. This is probably my favorite role of YEH. She is such a great actress really believable as a snobby heiress and so pretty! loved her style=)

The music stands out and went on my ipod straight away.

I could watch this twice in a year just because the cast is awesome

Overall the script isnt perfect but youll have fun watching.

Leia Mais

An innocent romance drama for the younger crowd. Kazuya does really well in his depressing loner roles and he just makes me like him so much! I really liked Haruka in Hotaru No Hikari so it was nice to see her in this. She plays naive and innocent really well. I really liked the friendships amongst the entire cast. It felt real. The relationship between Hiroto & Nao was refreshingly sweet. I smiled throughout most of the episodes. The last 2 episodes made my stomach turn though. I was so depressed but by the end of it all I was like what?! Haha so this drama is a really good romance that everyone should watch once.

Leia Mais

NOTE: This review is based on the first episode only. It may get better (or worse) but I won't be watching it to find out.
The Good:
There is comedy to be found it Ohitorisama, even if it does feels recycled rather than fresh. The 'you drank too much so I carried you home and stayed the night' concept is so over-used that it's barely funny anymore but Ohitorisama manages to give it a slight twist.
One of the better performances in my opinion comes from Maya Miki, the school Principal - she manages to convey to the viewer a lot without actually saying anything (and as a bonus she gets to wear sophisticated and fresh hairstyles for a woman her age).
The Bad:
Teppei's character seems tired and uninteresting; I've seen him do much better work in the Love*Com movie, Gokusen 2, Shibatora and Dragon Zakura. If you're a fan why not check out one of those instead?
The supporting characters seem to detract from the dorama rather than enhance it and the sheer number of them in the first episode is overwhelming.
Having watched three seasons of Gokusen (and a proliferation of other Japanese High School doramas) I have come to realise there are only so many variations on a theme within the Principal/Vice Principal/Head-Teacher relationship. Although it tries to revive the dynamic Ohitorisama doesn't seem to have anything new to add.
Also, should teachers really go out drinking multiple nights of the school week?
Summary:
Firstly, I have to say that I only watched the first episode of Ohitorisama before dropping it. It's not that it's not good (there are some good laughs in there), but rather that it's just not new or interesting. I feel like I've seen it (or doramas like it) before; Sapuri and Hataraki Man come readily to mind, and perhaps Hotaru no Hikari & Kimi wa Petto as well.
If you haven't watched any of those doramas (or you absolutely loved them) and you like the idea of an age-difference-relationship based dorama (they tend to take themselves more seriously than popular doramas) then Ohitorisama may be for you.
If you're looking for more of an outright comedy without any re-hashing of the past and mulling over one's marriage prospects (or lack of), then perhaps you should try something else...

Leia Mais

Liked:



The chemistry between Hiroto and his friends is good (feels like they've been buddies for years) and the friendship between Nao and Yuko also feels genuine, although I have to admit Yuko is a far better friend than Nao.



The acting is generally good although there are some 'fish-face' moments from Kame, but I'm not quite sure if this is because of the character he plays; there is a lot of subtlety in the character of Hiroto and body language and mannerisms play a large part in conveying his thoughts to the audience.



Nao on the other hand is childish and at times seems almost apathetic, but having seen some of Haruka's other work I am giving her the benefit of the doubt and saying it's the character that's a little 2-dimensional rather than the actress.





Didn't Like:



Hiroto's retrospective narration of the dorama is in the style of everything-seemed-good-at-the-time-but-little-did-we-know-certain-doom-awaited-us-just-around-the-corner (I think it's simply a hook to keep the audience interested when the relationship appears to be going well).



The most off-putting aspect of the dorama is by far the lengths Nao's family (especially her father and brother) go to in order to prevent her relationship with Hiroto. I think this goes beyond what is believable, even considering aspects of Nao's past which come to light.



Summary:



The dorama focusses largely on the relationship between Hiroto and Nao and the obstacles the thrown in their way as a result of their radically different circumstances and their families' skepticism. While these themes are definitely not new, I think they're explored in perhaps a more realistic way (for the most part) than in some other dramas.



I would recommend this dorama to anyone who at heart just wants a Love Story - you will get one. The ending is a little disappointing for those who would like a set-in-concrete-defintely-getting-married scenario, but the open-ending isn't nearly as bad as in some other doramas I have seen.



Tatta Hitotsu no Koi is one of my favourite dramas and I confess to having watched it (in its entirety, from start to finish) at least two or three times!



<< For my much longer review visit me at doramasan.wordpress.com >>

Leia Mais