Reviews

Never judge a book by its cover... Well in this case you`re allowed to do that! The story was as bad as the poster of the film. The story lost it halfway, no focus on the supporting roles neither on the main characters. It had a lot of potential, but didn´t use it at all! The script was really bad writen- there was practically no interaction between the actors. They just put together some scenes, some flashbacks of the dramatic past mixed together with some songs instead of dialogs.I`m still not sure what the film was finally about. Guys following their dreams? A love story? A " declaration of war" against bad management and music companies? Just to find that out i would rewatch it. But i could ignore a pointless story if at least the acting would have been good. But it was even more disappointing. Just because an actress doesn`t show any kind of emotion doesn`t mean she is acting. Same applies to the rest of the cast. They tried, but trying isn`t enough. If you don`t mind these points- the lack of story, the unfeeling shooting and the lack of acting- then you can go for the appearence of the four guys and the music. At least they put in some effort in the songs.
In the end i just got through the movie because i always finish the stuff i started.

Leia Mais

I'm writing this cause i just can't agree with the other reviews ...

STORY:
Ok i agree it's your avrage mushy gushy story about a girl finding out she's a princess. At first i also thought that but the way the writers dilevered the story was just wonderful not one minute was i bored ( and i'm the type of person that skips parts, episodes or sometimes just watch the previews if i'm to bored.

ACTING/CAST:
Well the acting was good for a comedy/romance cause most of the times when watching these kind of things i notice that some lead actresses tend to over act the funny and then it just becomes weird, but of course Kim Tae Hee never disappoints us she was so lovable:D and you could feel this kind of "bond" between the two lead characters. and since it was one of my first k-drama that i watched it was the first time i had seen a man cry for a woman because he loves her so much that he is suffocating (you practically never see this kind of scene in Hollywood). And the forbidden love plot was very nice every time they cried or were in pain i felt it too.

Music:
I thought the music was well fit for every scene and of course should good romantic/comedy drama doesn't play some good old Ricky Roller I was seriously laughing so hard when i first heard it in the drama it was awesome :D And we get to hear some B2st/Beast too :D

REWATCH VALUE:
HECK YEAH ! In fact when i'm finished here i'l got watch it again for like the 3th or 4th time ! (I'm not even kidding i'm doing it)

OVERALL:
Over all i think you go it i loved it and i strongly recomand it. Seriously ! Watch it:) but i do agree with some of the comments about the ending who was a bite disappointing. We were all expecting Big wedding bells, and all that goes with it but after some thinking it like this simple and yet touching ending (specially that kiss). In the end all I want to say is...
Wonderful story
Wonderful Actors and cast
Wonderful mus... well ... yeah the music was good;)
and WONDERFUL DRAMA

Leia Mais

I already wrote a recommendation for this drama, but I will quickly say it here...while watching WHIB, I was constantly reminded of Que, Sera Sera (WHIB came out a few years before). They shared the same vibe. It's a darker K-Drama that deals with more mature topics. It's mostly about love and greed of money. I liked the vibe of the whole thing. It's not fluffy in the least. There are a few humorous moments, but over all it's angst filled dealing with every day life...love, money, desire, greed, etc.

For me the angst was done well. After seeing so many dramas, these days I tend to fast forward through parts that bore me, usually dealing with secondary characters and such. However, this drama was twenty episodes long and I did not fast forward it once. Not even for a minute. I was completely engaged throughout. It was fast moving, and I wanted to hear what ever single person had to say. For me it was all a meaningful part of the progression of the story.

I'll admit this story is brought about by a series of contrived, coincidental incidences that are used to bring the four forever together. But seriously, if you're going to complain about that, then you shouldn't watch k-dramas, because that's basically how they all are. It's a tried a true plot device. It's easy for me to look over this and chalk it up to "fate" as they do in the drama itself.

There are four main leads in WHIB and they all get a good amount of screen time. You never know who the main male lead really is, because they both get equal screen time. At first, none of them are all that likeable. However, by the end, I really enjoyed them all. That included all their faults and wackiness too. They each make choices in their lives and we get to see the consequence (usually a fall out) of that choice.

I gave the acting for this drama a 10, mostly because of Jo In Sung. I had read somewhere that he was the most anticipated Korean actor to return from the military, and I just didn't understand that as I hadn't seen any of his dramas and had never heard of him. However, he knocked my socks off. This guy can act. He was great! No wonder he won all the best actor awards for this drama! (As a side note, at the time of airing this drama rated in the 20s and even got up to the 30s so it was pretty popular at the time). Seriously, the guy impressed me, and I look forward to watching his other work. Anyway, he plays the rich guy to a T.

Ha Ji Won (of Secret Garden) was one of the appeals to me when I decided to watch this drama. She did a fairly good job as well. She plays the poor girl. The other two mains played their parts perfectly and fit the roles great. The drama was cast perfectly in my opinion all the way down to the secondary characters. I just loved the psycho rich moms!

The main thing that got me to even notice this drama is I was looking through best couples in k-drama videos and such. This drama was on a top five list, with Ha Ji Won and Jo In Sung being like third best Korean drama couple in dramaland (just someone's personal opinion) as their characters in this drama. One of the pictures posted of them just really caught my eye and I could totally see their chemistry just from that. And they were right, they made this drama rock, and their interactions throughout were just awesome. However, this in no way, shape, or form, is saying that they get together. They might, they might not. You have to watch to find out. Watching them in this drama was great, and it would be neat if they could do another project together.

The music was uneventful, but it did it's job with blending into the story and providing the feeling of things like foreboding and such.

The rewatch value is a seven. Mainly because, I will probably eventually rewatch this again although it won't be the same. Normally, there are is so much angst in dramas that in order to prevent myself anymore personal anxiety, I read all about the drama I watch before hand, and if I can find out the ending in advance, that's a good thing. It helps me enjoy the drama with out feeling my skin crawl. Or, you just tend to know from the very beginning how a drama is going to end. Well, like I said, this is not your typical K-drama. From the very start, you may have an idea of how it's going to end. Your going to have your own opinion of who she's going to end up with based on which main guy you like the most, most likely. However, you will not know who she ends up with until the very end. And unless you found a spoiler some where, you will not know how this drama ends. Period. That in itself is kind of appealing and new in dramaland.

This of course brings me to the ending. I could not find out how it ended anywhere I looked on the net. I decided to watch it regardless, because I was so intrigued that nobody wanted to share the spoiler. I also found where most people that commented on the end didn't like it. That doesn't sound good right? Well, I've learned not to base my decisions on how other people interpret an ending. I have found it all has to do with personal taste and opinion. After watching the ending, I felt it was brilliant. It even made me smile. It was completely unexpected until it actually was playing out, however, I thought it was great!

But this is why the rewatch value of the drama is only a seven. Because, part of the appeal of this drama the first time around is not knowing what is going to happen next, what choices our leads are going to make, and how those choices are going to effect them and everyone else around them. Throughout the whole drama, you don't know who she really loves, who she's going to choose. Is she going to choose love, money, a combination of both, or neither?

Overall, I would give this drama a shot. I gave it an eight, because I truly felt it was very good. The overall tone and vibe aren't for everyone. I like it though. So, if you're interested, give it a shot!

Leia Mais

Let me first explain how I got to watching this drama. I was going on a trip so I filled up on random dramas in case I got bored on the trip, among those dramas was this drama Stairway to Heaven, which I had heard so much about. So the trip comes and goes and one night I end up without internet, unable to sleep, and so I start watching this. In hindsight, I'm both glad and sad to have made that choice. Now onto the review:

Story: 11/10 (because 10/10 is just not enough!): The story is very unique for me (maybe because this was my first drama of this genre). You end up hating the stepmother/stepsister so much that you want to jump into their world, and stab both...repeatedly. What else can I say? Oh right, keep a box of tissues handy otherwise you'll be wiping away your tears using your blanket(true story!) One other thing I enjoyed about this drama is seeing how the main male lead and the secondary male lead work together to accomplish a goal greater than either of them.

Acting/Cast: 10/10 . Everyone in this cast from the child actors from the first few episodes to the adult actors were PERFECT. I had one small dislike in the middle of the drama, and that was how the main female lead cried. Yes. That's all. Later on, I got used to it and it didn't bother me at all, so it was just me.

Music 9/10: I'm actually listening to the OST as im writing this review. It's GREAT, but not a 10. It conveyed the emotion perfectly and all that, so it was good for the drama...but for some reason giving it a 10 would be unfair in my humble opinion.

Rewatch Value: 5/10: I DON'T rewatch dramas or movies 99% of the time which is why I gave it this low of a score.

Overall: 10/10 - This is a masterpiece that every Kdrama fan should watch. But keep in mind, this can cause tears even from the eyes of manly men like myself. However, sometimes while those tears are dropping, your mouth will be smiling uncontrollably.

Leia Mais

I decided to watch this drama because I had really gotten into older women/ younger men pairings and the story seemed promising.

Synopsis:
Kamisaka decides to take a temporary job as a teacher after getting tired of working temp jobs. At the school he meets Akiyama, who is a hard working teacher that prefers to take on task by herself. When Kamisaka arrives all of the young teacher and students fall in love with him and fight for his affection.

Because of Kamisaka inexperience, the principle assigns Akiyama to be his mentor. At first it seems that the two are completely incompatible. Akiyama is ten years older and enjoys dining out by herself, while Kamisaka prefers to be frugal and looks for deals to create cheap meals.

At first this story seemed to be interesting. These two characters end up in a situation where they are together and are forced to get alone. After watching their relationship, Akiyama came off as more of an older sister than a girlfriend. Kamisaka was very naive and immature. He did not know how to deal with certain situations, and he relied on Akiyama's guidance.

The story was very weak and unbelievable. I felt like so much was missing and nothing really happened. Overall i give this drama a 3. I feel like watching this was a waste of time. Even though some dramas don't intellectually stimulate me, I still feel good and happy after watching them. I would have much rather skipped this one and devoted my time to another drama.

Leia Mais

With the last two episodes drawing near, I can see that we are probably going in the way of the Anime and cutting off at a the beginning of the "Dark Moon" portion of the Manga.

With that being said, I believe it is perfectly fair to rate this 8 all around.

It's not ground breaking, it's not idol fluff, so what we get is actually a pretty close live-action to the Manga "Skip Beat!".

Because this is based from a Manga, directing took a more direct approach to the interpretation, meaning Kyoko's evil aura and good and evil spirits come out just like in the Manga/Anime.

Was this a good thing? Yes. Unlike other Manga adaptations where their attempts at showing the Manga-style comedy on screen tended to fall short (Playful Kiss), was badly timed and/or usually made some of us wonder "was that really necessary?", in "Skip Beat!" it felt like you were reading the Manga the whole time. Though I do admit there were some scenes that could have been done better.

Ivy, Siwon, and Dong-hae actually do their respective lead roles justice. Siwon's interpretation of Ren gave me goosebumps.

Mostly because he can get that "shining angry Ren" smile out accurately. As a person who has read, and is still reading the Manga, it was really surprising how dead on he was to it. Even while looking at it, it doesn't look any different than a smile, but the feeling behind that smile was not happy at all.

Ivy's "Kyoko" was actually what sold it for me. She was just as dead on as Siwon's Ren. Wardrobe needed to pay more attention to detail, though, as in a few episodes her hair was longer in some scenes and shorter in others. Her facial expressions were dead on.

Dong-hae's "Shou" was good too, could have been a bit stronger, but really he did a very accurate and sometimes hilariously wacky job.

Yes the show did come off a bit too wacky in some parts but really, that's the best part, when Kyoko goes into crazed fits cus she doesn't want the make-up to come off or the ridiculous bike riding scene in episode one... these are all from the Manga with liberties taken by the director. I don't think it'd have the same appeal if you took them out. Actually, I don't think it would be the same Manga/Anime/Drama if you did.

Now those points is what dropped it down from 10 to 9 for me.

But what dropped it down from 9 to 8 was the dubbing. In the off chance in hell that someone from their production department sees this...

Don't. Dub.

You went and hired Korean actors/idols for your show, the least you can do is not dub them. Pissed me off when you can catch a few of the dubbed areas in episode one.

To summarize: If you haven't read the Manga, a lot of the evil/angelic Gong Xi moments will be lost to you, as you'll be wondering why it's like that, while still laughing at those spirits creeping people out or exacting revenge. If you have read the Manga, you'll be pissed it's only 13 episodes because it's so damn good.

Leia Mais

If I had to describe this drama in one word I would use DISAPPOINTING. I watched the first four episodes, and became absolutely hooked. I thought Byun So Ra, and Yoon Joon Soo's romantic backstory was hilarious. I liked how Hwang Jin Joo, and Kang Chan Jin completed the dramas love square. The show was a lot of fun in the beginning, but it suddenly lost all of it's charm.

The main issue? There was zero romantic chemistry between any of the four lead characters. There seemed to be lots of sexual tension in the earlier episodes, but once it was time for more romantic scenes, they just fell flat. I understand that Yoon So Yi & Jae Hee were both playing socially awkward characters, but that doesn't mean that their relationship should come across as stiff. Yoon So Yi never showed any emotion, and it's hard to root for a emotionally repressed romantic lead. Jae Hee relied too much on making cute Johnny Depp-like faces, which often made me not take him seriously.

The rivals were often more interesting than the main leads. Lee Soo Kyung did a good job of playing a competitive rival, but I still never felt like she had any genuine feelings, just a bruised ego. She did play selfish perfectly, and I hated her character because of it. Shim Ji Ho was the only cast member who made me feel anything close to real emotion. I fell for the longing looks Kang Chan Jin would give to So-Ra. I wanted him to win the girl simply because he was the best actor of the bunch. Sometimes it felt like he was in a romantic drama all by himself. He definitely held the romantic part of the story together.

I think this drama didn't know how to find the right balance between romantic comedy, and office drama. The workers at L'aura were fun to watch, but they eventually took up way too much focus. I soon felt like I was watching the Korean version of "Ugly Betty". Jun Soo Kyung role was so cliché, and her scheming soon took over the whole show. All the romance was soon reduced to misunderstandings, missed opportunities, and stubborn characters making frustrating choices. The only redeeming original moments were with Park Sang Myun. I loved the randomness of his all knowing character. All the rest has been done before, and much better.

I reserved the highest marks for the music. No matter how bored I became, the music started to become a pep talk that kept me watching. I wish I could blame it all on waiting for translated subs, but If I had watched it marathon style I would have been tempted to skip through a lot of it. I might rewatch some of the cute earlier scenes again, but I wouldn't ever make it through all 20 episodes again.

My main goal for even finishing this was to see who So-Ra ends up with. The end is anticlimactic, and it fails at giving the grand romantic conclusion it was aiming for. I'd recommend asking someone, if you're curious, rather than sitting through the frustrating last two episodes. Then again, I would recommend skipping the whole thing.

This review is long, I know, but after sticking with this drama for so long I had to vent! : )

Leia Mais

With most drama's, when they do a 2nd season, its usually not up to par with the first, this was not the case with this season. I was absolutely riveted watching this season. Where as with the first, I loved it, was into it, but not "Please don't take me away from my computer" into it. The 2nd season, despite everything going on in my real life, I finished in less than 48 hours, I was that into it. As to why...

The story, its written so well, you can picture yourself there, and figure things out with them. With this season, they messed with your entire thought process, not just some, if I could cuss in a review I would word that differently, but I can't.

The actors really brought this season home. Most of the actors were the same, so you were already comfy with them. But, and this goes back to the writing, with this season you see the main character become more human, his growth is amazing.

I noticed the music more this time around, and it tended to fit the drama well, so I gave it a higher score.

This is a definite re-watch, just because I might have missed something.

Overall, if your in a funk, want something different from the normal Kdrama, watch BOTH seasons.

Leia Mais

Il Mare is a truly unique love story, that shows romance in a refreshingly different light. Jun Ji-hyun and Lee Jung-jae are good playing two lonely people who find comfort in words shared with a stranger, but there was honestly nothing extraordinary about either performance. The true star of this movie is the story itself.

The plot takes the idea of long distance romance to the extreme. It's written so well that the fantastic concept seems perfectly plausible. I loved how their shared moments were shown. The director did a great job of making sure the time difference never felt like a cheap gimmick. The movie is also visually stunning, especially the house itself ("il mare") which I absolutely loved. This movie is not fast paced, nor does it have cute moments full of chemistry/sexual tension. Instead, it's about watching two people become close although they can't be together. Showing that connection is hard, but I think the movie pulls it off well.

The American remake of this film is "The Lake House" staring Keanu Reeves, & Sandra Bullock. I actually liked the remake as well, but one doesn't cancel the other out in my opinion. At the very least, the korean house is MUCH cooler!

I think the key to this story's appeal is the question of whether or not they will ever meet in the future, and have a true romantic relationship. Once that mystery was resolved, rewatching was a little less exciting, but It is still very interesting to watch the story unfold while knowing the outcome. If possible, avoid reading the synopsis, which gives way too much of the story away. I also wouldn't be concerned with how old this movie is. Like the relationship between Eun Ju & Sung Hyun, this movie is timeless.

Leia Mais

Just from my first impression i expected a crazy, loud and chaotic movie. But i watched it anyways because of the two main actors and, what to say, made the right choice. I was hocked from the start. The topic may seem a bite unusal, but that`s exactly what i liked about it.
Both actors were showing great acting skills and you could actually feel the chemistry between them. I like it when you can´t quite grasp a character in the beginning and the actor is able to change this feeling during the movie and you can feel how you get closer to the character. Both actors defenitely accomplised this task.
The sript was well writen, the right words at the right time, not too much drama or never ending dialogs. Same goes for the music. Quiet, smooth, necessary but without getting on your nerves.
In the end the movie tourned out to be realistic, sad, life-affirming and quiet, but still chaotic and a tiny bit crazy. The right amount of everything, well composed and put together. And even the ending matched.

Leia Mais

This is a very good example of an underrated drama.
What made this drama so good in my eyes? The story isnt unique.A group of normal working girls and a famous designer and a spoilt,handsome,ignorant son of a mall owner.We see this basic story basis on many types of korean and tdramas.
What makes this so good is 2 things.

1-The cast. I love the cast.It was very well picked and the acting is amazing.The main character is so perfect.The girl, Ren is ordinary,but you kind of get why Chin Shi Qin likes her! She is pretty,though not so outshining,but the sort that really rubs on you :)
Roys character ,Shi Qin is just what i was looking for in ages.He is very very very handsome! I mean I know I shouldnt be so en entranced by his beauty but damn he is even handsomer than most korean actors! :) But on top of looking so good, HIS ACTING IS ALSO REALLY GOOD! his face expressions are good and idk,he is very natural when he acts,which is for me actually all the reason to like him.

2-The humor.Its so good for this drama.I laughed so much in this drama!Its not so extravagant like it is in most of the tdramas,and its just really really good.

Also the interactions of the characters are natural and this is a feel good drama tbh.It makes you laugh and sometimes get teary.

This drama shows you how a normal office girls could make a perfect drama :)

Highly recommended ;)!

Leia Mais

The story isnt THAT original,since we know the stories of some legendary bands,like the Beatles,Queens etc.
But the thing is,this is a kdrama version,plus this actors are super hot.And the story is put in a very interesting way.

The cast is surprisingly very well put.I mean they all have their own function,there are 2 love lines,and 2 possible love triangles,and there is humor,friendship and rivalry between the "genius" composer guy and the boys of the Eye Candy.

I dont think you will get bored in this drama because every episode shows a different development in the music career of the boys,so the story doesnt drag around but continues in a very fast pace.

For me,this drama which airs at the same time as the DR 2 has more of a priority,since this one is more interesting,realistic and tbh THE ACTING in comparison is much better.

This boys are new to acting,they arent very seasoned like Hyunbin or Won bin but I hope you can give them a chance since I think they are doing a very good job till now :)

Leia Mais

it took me awhile to finally get through the whole drama. the only good thing about this drama is that they had cast people that actually look like they would be in high school.

the plot for this version doesn't capture your heart like the 2007 version. but i guess that's not the plots fault after i think about it. its the actors not portraying these character with the same[or better] pizzazz as the cast before them. think of it this way, it's like these kids watched the 07 version, loved it and grabbed a camera and said lets do it again with the manga as their scripts and a 13 year old girl as the final script editor.

my final words on this drama, if your looking for a light drama to kill your time till you find something better. this might be your drama. also if you really want to enjoy this drama DON'T COMPARE IT TO THE 07 VERSION.

Leia Mais

There are 2 main story lines in this drama.One is how Taeyang struggles to make the vegetable business work with his group of "Fresh Man" despite Jin Shim/Ga On's mother.And The other is how Jin Shim takes on Ga On's place and therefore there will be a lot of problems,but Ga Ons father finds out about the lies Ga Ons mother had said to her husband and therefore will be even more problems will arise.This show has a very complex storyline where bits of other characters also contribute,like Seul Woo) and his mother,Jung Dam Bi and her parents,and other members of "Fresh Man" and so on.
This drama was so heavy and seriously packed that you know its called "Bachelors Vegetable Store" so to be honest I thought it would be a light drama where I would have to stop about in the middle,but this is the second "food-drama" that had me surprised because it was so awesome ,on the egde and complex!( the 1st was baker king,kim tak goo:) )

Leia Mais