Reviews

It took me a while to get into this drama as I felt that it dragged in its early episodes. But as I went through viewing it, there is no doubt that this is a CLASSIC DRAMA. The First Shop of the Coffee Prince provides refreshing themes about homosexuality, self-sacrifice, hard work,dreams,ambition,success,emotional and psychological issues that one may face in life. Yoon Eun Hye, playing the tomboyish Eun Chan, played her role extremely well. Her chemistry with Goong Yoo, who played the confused Choi Han Kyul,is commendable too. Their chemistry was excellent.

When Han-gyul finally allows himself to love Eun-chan regardless of gender (episode 10) it is the best moment of the drama and truly touching. <3

Gender confusion is nothing new, but in too many cases, people have a tendency to overdo it-- drawing things out and overdramatizing it for either hyberbolic comedy, or ridiculous melodrama. Thankfully, Coffee Prince uses at least a bit of discretion and ends up as a fun romantic story that tries to take a more reasoned look at gender roles. It challenges the idea that strength and responsibility are masculine traits and really does a good job at poking fun at gender stereotypes. The men tend to be very faithful, nurturing, and rather bashful, while the women tend to be strong, willful, and intelligent.
In addition to the gender-bending, there is a very touching examination of a heterosexual man being forced to examine his own sexuality as he realizes he is attracted to someone he believes in another man.

Each character has a story, and each story is touched on. This gives the sense that the show is not a one dimensional storyline, it has depth. And then as far as scenery goes, it is beautiful. I love the backdrop of Seoul, the mountain tops wreathed in mist... the artistic touch at Coffee Prince... You can see the stark difference in Eun-chan's home and Han-gyul's apartment.

I really wish they will make a part two for Coffee Prince because it was so well made. A big applause to the creator of this magnificent drama.

Makes me want to drink coffee, too!

Leia Mais

This was one of the first dramas I watched and yet, after many others seen since then, it's remained one of my favourites. As opposed to others, I loved that the writers let the protagonist's relationship really develop until anything actually happens between them. It really made their attachment believable and it really caught my heart.

Lee Dong Wook and Lee Da Hae really impressed me with their acting skills. I often find the childishness of the leading women in Kdramas annoying, as I feel it makes them look downright stupid, not cute. Yet Lee Da Hae's portrayal of Yoo Rin was unexpectedly endearing and funny. Lee Dong Wok was amazing in this role and he didn't play the character as too cold and arrogant, but just right.

I don't know what it was exactly about this drama that really grabbed me, but when it did, I was hooked. I usually hate extreme silliness or angst, and but for a few moments, this drama did these elements perfectly. In addition, even the secondary characters' storylines were interesting and captivating. I often find myself skipping through these plot lines, but, here, even the second male lead seemed more than just an instrument of conflict.

Overall, for me, this drama will stay as one my favourites for a long time for its simplicity, clever humour and well developed romance. Some scenes will stay in my mind forever like the orchard scene, the moving elevators or the romantic farts of Mrs In-Sun. I really recommend this drama!

Leia Mais

The story had its flaws but it was overall OK. I have learnt since watching that the original story is set in the 60's. That explains a lot of the problems I had with the story, the whole concept would be easier to imagine as "possible" if it happened in the 60's but made me wonder about its likelihood in a more modern day story.
So it would have been better if they kept it in an obvious past tone.

There isn't much else to say about it without going into the details, but the acting was good and the pace was also right. The mystery was mild but I was still curious how it would end so in that sense the story was successful.

Wouldn't watch it again, but it's worth a try. It's a typical tanpatsu.

Leia Mais

I couldn't wait for this drama to come out after watching KO One Re-act. I was expecting Xia Tian and Ai Xiang or their counterparts to be in this drama since the trailer had Gui Long, Xia Tian and Ai Xiang in it. But I was sadly disappointed that only Gui Long made a cameo.

I was also kind of disappointed in this drama, compared to X Family and KO Re-act, but it was better than KO One Return. That was the worst out of the whole KO series. There is barely any Yi Neng shown in the drama, which made it disappointing. I personally do like when they add Yi Neng or Zhan Li Zhi Su in the KO series because the stories are mostly based off of it and it does make it more entertaining.

Some of the characters in this drama claim to be Yi Neng Xing Zhe, but they barely show it. It made me think their no different from Ma Gua.They also have love interests in this drama, but never fully commit to the relationship, just like Re-act, which bugged me.

But the comedy never fails to make me laugh. I gave a higher score to the music because it was placed correctly to convey the important moments, which made the story more bearable. I also feel that they jammed everything interesting in the plot in the last episode, which made me think the characters in the drama were waiting for something to happen for most of the drama's running time.

Leia Mais

If you want to watch something serious and meaningful, this is the drama for you. This is truly a gem in the world of j-dramas.

This drama is very well written. The storyline and the characters were very realistic. I felt like I could really identify with the characters, their feelings, their motives and the decisions they made. So many times when Shuji made an odd decision or did/said something unorthodox, I wanted to understand the reasoning behind it. Other times, I just wanted to slap some sense into him. They way the writers wrote the story, I couldn't tell for a long time who was supposed to be the female lead. Even though my conscience says one thing, I was confused as to which girl I was supposed to be rooting for to end up with Shuji (or if I should be rooting for Shuji's happiness at all). I couldn't tell if Shuji had romantic feelings towards Natsumi/Saeki, or if he was just being a nice guy. The characters are incredibly complex and showed many sides to them. The actors and actresses are so talented and did such an amazing job, especially Miura Haruma, Toda Erika and Takei Emi (this is my first time watching Takei Emi).
The music was great. The prelude was so beautiful and touching. I think some of the insert songs have swear words in them though lol (they're english pop songs). But they're properly placed and generates the right mood for the scene.
It can be a little predictable, but for the most part it's not. There were twists that were unexpected that weren't over the top, but enough to make it dramatic and make you want to find out what's gonna happen next. I think the drama did lose a little steam at the end, but you become emotionally invested in the characters and want to find out what's going to happen to them.
One thing I did not like is how serious the students were and their feelings towards their teachers. Hiraoka and Saeki were serious in wanting an actual relationship with their teachers. It's uncomfortable to think about, but i guess it does happen in real life since we hear of teachers having inappropriate relationships with students.

Leia Mais

I admit that I started this because the idea of having a bunch of idol-actors living together in a boarding house sounded incredibly amusing to me! The plot sounded kind of interesting but the main appeal for me was definitely the boarding house idea. That being said, I had no idea this was a sitcom when I started it and also had never seen a Korean sitcom before. So, yay for trying new things!

The story was actually really pleasant and fun to watch even though I didn't expect much out of it. Since it's a sitcom, the comedy is very in your face and over the top at times (most of the time) but I found it rather refreshing. I can only take so much of sad and intense dramas before I need a happy break. This drama is perfect for one of those happy breaks because even though some of the characters go through some difficulties, they are usually short-lived. The humor and comedy also keeps things from staying too serious for too long.

What really got me hooked was the characters in this and not just because I already liked some of the actors to begin with. The characters are really exaggerated at times for comedy purposes but the characters in general are actually pretty realistic. I'm not going to dissect all of the characters but their situations are all very relatable and for the most part believable. They're fun, silly, and sometimes dumb but it's all part of their charm! I found the majority of the characters very likeable and thought the actors portrayed their characters well! I honestly don't know how they were able to film most of the scenes without laughing hysterically. I salute them all!

Now, I do understand why someone would want to drop this. A lot of people seem to have a problem with the laugh track that they play during funny or embarrassing moments. I didn't like it at first but I didn't really mind it later on. I guess it just depends on your level of hate for laugh tracks or your ability to not pay attention to it. Also, I do think that you have to have a certain sense of humor in order to completely enjoy this. The story does have its more serious moments but for the most part it is consistently comedic and embarrassing. Yes, embarrassing. So, if you can't handle secondhand embarrassment, you'll most likely be watching quite a few scenes through your fingers. ;)

Overall, super fun, cute, and silly! It provides quite a few good laughs and has some really sweet moments. I recommend that people at least give it a try even if they're not completely sure if they'll like it. To those of you who want to watch it, happy watching! :)

Leia Mais

It was torture watching the "unnatural" acting of Kim Ju Hyuk and the one expression of the lead actress. He was trying too hard to act the "dumb" person. After so many obstacles and revenge plots between the 2 lead actors, it got tiring after awhile, so it kinda got slow and irritating midway. I had th skip 4 epsiodes and just watch the ending. So every episode, something will come up against Kim Ju Hyuk, gets resolved and then another cycle begins. This just goes on and on for about 7-10 of the episodes. And I was hoping to enjoy it when I saw the good ratings... So I am one of the few that regrets watching it.

Leia Mais

What a powerful and touching drama - I love Prince Sado now <3

Story: Based on the true story of King Yeongju & Prince Sado - a powerful display of rulers who think differently - The king cherishes power and authority over humanity and the Prince desires equality for everyone - from children of traitors, slaves, concubines and commoners. We see him come head to head with his father countless times - and I'd cheer him on every time. If you read the history of these two (which I recommend you don't) then you'll know it will be a bittersweet end. But even so, even if I did cry a bucket of tears, the end still left me hopeful of a better future to come ;)

Cast: Prince Sado (Lee Je Hoon) the son of King Yeongju (Han Seok Kyu) a honest and righteous prince with enduring principals - if he believed something was wrong he wouldn't ignore it - He has my respect for that, when some people would cave - he never did, he stood his ground even if he had to suffer immensely for it - he earned trust of his "followers" and the viewers <3 Plus he is handsome to boot^^ His eyes would captivate me when he'd speak - and the emotions displayed there were magical <3 King Yeongju a political terror if I may say so - he didn't blink if he killed someone or did wrong things - he fought tooth and nail with his son throughout the entire drama - he'd make me really mad most all the time and sometimes his discussions early on drove me up the wall - but the actor really did well in displaying his love/hate for his son. Seo Ji Dam (Kim Yoo Jung) I liked her while she lasted for 13 episodes (the older version I could care less about so I won't even mention her) she was great when she was Sado's sidekick and helped him out. When she's "older" she's just kind of there... Lady Hye Gyeong (Park Eun Bin) I didn't like her when the drama started but as time passed she grew on me and I could see the love she had for Sado (even though her love for power would sometimes speak louder). Shin Heung Bok (Seo Jun Yeong) he had a guest role when the drama started but he became the reason Sado & his father came head to head with each other - even though his time was short - he left a deep impact. The rest of the cast did a splendid job in their roles too ;)

Music: "Erase and Erase" by The One (my favorite) & ??? by Block B

Re-watch Value: 8/10 It's very political but really draws you in - so I will re-watch this again someday - even if only to see Lee Je Hoon (Prince Sado)'s eyes <3 I LOVED his deep dark eyes - they pulled me in every time ;D

I highly recommend anyone who likes historical or political dramas to check this one out - you won't regret it ;)

Leia Mais

Let me start off by saying this is the single first drama I have liked in a very long time. In fact, It's been the cure to my years-long drama lag all together. I've learned my lesson to not listen to drama 'hype' anymore so when there was a lot of attention surrounding this drama I didn't give it much thought. So perhaps it was the fact that I didn't listen and was pleasantly surprised or that for once a drama really did live up to the hype. Either way I loved it.

The story was very original. What kind of a person thinks to match up a 400+ year old alien with a Hallyu star? I don't know but they are wizards or something because their chemistry is like magic.

The acting was also great! I wouldn't expect less from Kim Soo Hyun. That boy knows how to deliver. Jeon Ji Hyeon was also amazing. I've only seen her in a few things but I'm definitely a fan now.

The music was good. It didn't really stand out from other drama music, but it definitely fit very well into the scenes.

I would definitely rewatch this. And then rewatch it again.

Leia Mais

Wow, I didn't expect to finish this drama as fast as I did, I thought it would take me at least a week but it really only took 2 days, It captured my attention by episode 2 and I really sunk into the drama by episode 5. It made me feel a whole range of different emotions.

Story: The description is almost totally way off (it only tells very small details that have nothing to do with the real storyline) - It's about 2 teachers who teach a class full of different types of students - smart students, students who don't care, bullies, and our main ones who have a love/hate type of relationship. The teachers deal with problems that come about in their classroom and try to encourage the students to do well and keep coming to school. It's a really touching school drama. All the different things that happen keeps you totally engaged in the drama. The main thing that kept me totally involved in the storyline was LJS & KWB's relationship - I wanted to know more about what happened between them :)

Cast: Go Nam Soon (Lee Jong Suk) My favorite character <3 both him and Park Heung Soo (Kim Woo Bin) had the best scenes together - I cried, I laughed and loved the bromance & the hurtful scenes between them. Jung In Jae (Jang Nara) She deserves the best teacher award - she was so compassionate and loving towards her students <3 Kang Se Chen (Daniel Choi) a somewhat rude & cold teacher who is touched by In Jae's way of teaching & caring for her students - they team up & run the class together ;) Oh Jung Ho (Kwak Jung Wook) the most troubled student and the one you feel like wanting to care for and mother the most lol - Other "supporting characters" that I enjoyed: Lee Ji Hoon, Lee Yi Kyung, Song Ha Kyung, Lee Kang Joo, Han Young Woo, & Kim Min Ki.

Music: Don't Think You're Alone by Kim Bo Kyung was my absolute favorite song on this drama <3

Re-watch Value: 8/10 I'll definitely re-watch this drama again, It was so good!
I highly recommend anyone who hasn't watched this drama and are a fan of any of the actors/actresses or if you are a school drama fan, then this is one you don't want to miss.

Leia Mais

sweet story, really good acting, adorable characters, and great music.
I haven't seen the Japanese original/version yet, but...
Seeing the reviews and rating I wasn't expecting much when I started watching, but it surprised me. It wasn't super intense or serious in either the plot or the romance, but it was very fun and relaxing to watch. Definitely one to watch if you want a relaxing, care-free night, with a couple of laughs. Although there were some holes that could have been fixed or patches that could have been sown together better, the story was really enjoyable. It's definitely worth watching!
The actors were amazing especially the main male lead. It takes a while to get used to the main female lead's character, but I personally think the actress did a good job playing the role. The side characters are cute and adorable, and are as important to the story as the leads. (Also they're all really attractively cute~~~)
The music was amazing. (but I mean hey what do you expect, it's a drama about music). The only complaint I can think would be said about the music is the fact that it's classical. And although, I enjoy my rock, pop, and alternative, but, honestly, classical is just downright beautiful. Especially when they connect the emotion and backstory to the songs, it makes listening to the instruments a million times more enjoyable.
I would definitely re-watch this drama (which I probably will with my mother anyway). In fact I think I'm going to go check out the Japanese version/original, even though it's said to be a bit different, I'm curious (and I already miss the music).
Overall, even though there were missing pieces here and there, and there were parts that should/could have been polished, the end product was calming, cute, and very fun to watch.
Worth 16 hours.

Leia Mais

Goodness, am I the only one who didn't like this drama?!
I had no expectations whatsoever when watching this drama, except that it was going to be good. People raved about it on the Internet. I did not read the manga or watch the other adaptations so I really did not know what I was getting myself into.
First of all, story is super cliche. Seen the characters before, didn't really care for them. Not really likable to me. Main guy is just quiet and emotionless. He's smart, but extremely boring. Who would fall for him?! Main girl is not much better. She's got a better personality but is dumb and SUPER persistent. She doesn't know when to quit. What she's doing in the drama is called STALKING. It's not love or infatuation anymore, it's obsession. The idea that a dumb girl can win over a smart guy by stalking him is just appalling. REALLY?!?? So unbelievable and unrealistic. I forced myself to watch all of the episodes even though by halfway, I wanted to quit so much. I'm definitely not watching the special or the second season.
The only thing I liked about this drama was the views of Tokyo. Very pretty scenes and shots but that's it.

Leia Mais

A relationship doomed to fail (in real life)

After trying to find a japanese romance drama to watch, someone mentioned this on an online forum and I was interested. They said that the relationship between the leads was interesting so I thought I'd give t a shot.
Japan does not do well in the romance genre. There may be hints, some sweet lines, some holding hands and kissing but that's it. Very lackluster.
With the main couple, it was just very hard to care for them and their relationship. I disliked Hyuga Toru for the majority of the drama, because he was an arrogant jerk. Only until he started realizing that he liked Natsui Makoto and accepted that did he become better (just by a little bit). There were lots of fighting and misunderstandings between them. I understand why that would happen but it just happens so often it gets to be annoying. Their relationship felt forced to me. Any sane girl would not fall in love with a guy like that (someone who disrespects her often).
It was made to look like she was just following him around and obeying his commands. I understand she works for him but it continues after work hours. He's just controlling. I didn't have a problem with the actors, just the characters.
The story was more focused the business side of things. I didn't understand a lot of things they were talking about because it was computer/IT related terminology. The romance was really just a side story.
I'm glad they made Asahina Yoko to be a likable character. In the beginning her tactics may be shady in getting Toru to fall in love with her. But she turned out to be a nice character. When she realized that Toru didn't like her and it was useless, she 100% supported Makoto. She never did anything insane and didn't try to cause misunderstanding between the leads (maybe except for that one car ride, all the other incidents were just happened to be seen by Makoto). She's probably the most reasonable, and also my favorite character.

I won't rewatch this. The special wasn't great either. It was like the storyline repeating itself for a reason I don't understand. But alas, they have their happy ending... Or so it seems....

Leia Mais