Boku to Star no 99 Nichi (2011)

There isn't much that I can add to what has already been expressed in other reviews here: the plot isn't new, nor unpredictable, the acting is good albeit a little over the lines, the dialogues are witty but definitely not deep, the music is fine enough. On a mere objective level, this drama is decent.

And yet, I loved it! I marathoned through it in a couple of days, and enjoyed every episode. I laughed, smiled, grinned. One may object that a drama is either good and to our liking, or it isn't. But the reasons why I like watching something aren't always as clear-cut and defined as I would like to think: I can remain cold in front of a masterpiece, and be enthusiastic of a piece of trinkets.
Hence my tepid marks, which reflect what I hope is an unbiased estimation, not the degree of my liking it.

Fact is, I truly loved the characters. Kohei, the bodyguard played by Nishijima Hidetoshi, is incredibly endearing. I had never seen this actor on screen before and at first sight I thought he was the complete opposite of an eye-candy. But his character is so sweet and lovable, I ended up liking him a lot. Kim Tae Hee, whom I could barely tolerate in My Princess, is adorable here, contributing factor the Japanese language, which renders her voice deeper and more pleasant.
The great actor Takanabe is hilarious. He seems vain and utterly stupid, but we soon discover he hides his own complex, and from that moment on, I dare everyone not to root for him, if not as a lover, at least as a friend and professional actor.
All the other characters do a good job, including Taecyeon, who surprised me with his very good Japanese. The bad guys aren't given enough screen time to get on our nerves.

The music is fine, mostly in the second half of the drama.

Surprisingly, I think I'll rewatch this drama one day. It was a perky watch, which I recommend to whomever is in need of something light, funny, romantic without being melodramatic or mushy.

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Kim Tae Hee dramas have always been a hit or miss; some I liked (My Princess); some I hated (Stairway to Heaven, too freaking sad) and some I'm just indifferent to (Iris and Jang Ok Jung); however, this drama I found on a fluke and absolutely loved it; from start to finish. I was pleasantly surprised at the story. It kind of reminds you (somewhat) of the The Bodyguard without the dangerous backdrop. This was my first Hidetoshi drama as I have a lot of his dramas on my watchlist but now I have something to look forward to as his acting was solid. The drama was a joint Korean and Japanese production and a nice surprise side story with Taecyon as Yuna's long lost brother.

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