Kimi Wa Petto has one of the most original plots I have encountered considering the manga and the year. While the older woman and younger man trope has hit a boom in recent years, this show has more than just that in its value. Career, gender, tradition, public image, self image and worth, romance, [very little] sex, love, and age are all components of this show. Of course it varies from the manga somewhat, especially where it ends seeing as the actual manga was not finished in 2003 but 2005 and it is only !) episodes. However, it was very good. There is comedy, competition, romance, and even a little bit of heartbreak/angst - something to appeal to almost everyone. Compared to the Korean version (which I saw first) I prefer this version. Each version has it's own pros and cons but this version was a little more on the realistic side than its Korean film counterpart, which was a little disappointing. The cinematography was nice enough, some things showed its age, but nothing was wrong or annoying. The camera angles definitely enhanced the involvement of the viewer.

The acting was mostly pleasant, a little iffy at times, but never cringe-worthy. This is Kato Koyuki's first main role beyond a few minor parts in shows/films and modelling so it makes sense for her to be awkward at times, especially because stiffness is the main trait of her character Sumire. While she was not the best actress, it is nothing that can"t be ignored. No one was a super stand out star for me except the wonderful Matsumoto Jun, or rather, MoMo. He officially made this show, he was the best character out of everyone (in my opinion.) As much as I want to say I love Jang Geun Suk as MoMo in the Korean version, Matsumoto is the best. The other actors were pleasant enough to watch, especially Sumire's best friend. She was another fun character.

There wasn't too much music involved in the show. When it did occur it had good placement and the dance scenes were fun to watch. I could sense the passion and found them interesting, especially with it being more contemporary and expressive dancing.

Overall, I really loved this show even with its few flaws. It is also very rewatchable. I would reccommend this show to many people. There is also no weird feeling that makes you question Sumire's intentions with MoMo, something many complain about with the Korean film as being creepy. I think you should definitely watch this if you have time to kill, want something cute, have read the manga, or want to compare versions even. I'm also looking forward to watching the 16 episode Japanese remake, hopefully they can flesh the story out more.

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I found this show to be incredibly entertaining in various ways. I have seen this version and the Korean version, so there will be a few comparisons in this review.

The story is based on a manga so the show is not 100% original, but it is very good and was (in my opinion) very well done. While the Korean version focuses more on the sports and love triangle aspects, the Japanese story had more aspects to it, even with less episodes. While sports and romance are a part of this show, there is also an incredible emphasis put on friendship and growing up. I found this to be much more enjoyable. The show also utilizes the "extra characters" much more, showing how each person interacts. Of course, seeing as this is manga based there were over the top and exaggerated moments, but that added to its charm. There are the moments of heartbreak, disappointment and angst that seemed to fill the To the Beautiful You (Korean) and parts of the manga, but Hana Kimi highlighted more of the shenanigans and trouble high school boys and friends get into. I felt more of a draw to continue watching Hana Kimi and liked it more than its Korean counterpart.

The acting is what made this show a stand out for me. I found new favorite actors and was delighted with a couple of my well-known favorites that appeared too. Everyone played their parts so well and interacted with each other in the best manner possible. You can identify with struggles and with the passion they have. Each actor fills their role to the max and is on point completely. Not to mention there is not one ugly person in this show; it's eye-candy galore. No wonder they're known as the "hottie school".

For the amount of music in the show, it was not bad. The opening theme was a lot of fun and gets stuck in your head. I even downloaded it. However, I grew tired of the end theme fairly quick. The sound effects for the show were not bad at all, they were well-suited and did not draw unneeded attention. The few random shows throughout the episodes were fun as well, adding to the humor.

As for rewatching? I would totally rewatch this show and with it's length it wouldn't be hard to do so either. Rewatching would be a very good idea if you want to watch the performance of different actors/actresses each time, especially since it would be just as fun and enjoyable as the first watching.

Overall this was my favorite version of the show and I loved it for many reasons, the only thing that keeps it from having a perfect score is a little bit of a cliffhanger ending. That is supposedly addressed in the special though, so no big deal. I definitely think everyone should give this a show, especially if you have read the manga of seen one of the other versions. Nothing beats the original. :)

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Before anyone doubts my overall score of 7: I can explain.

OVERALL (because I know some people prefer things to be quick and to the point!): The movie was created in 2004 so certain things must be understood and not held to a super high standard. The quality of He Was Cool is not as wonderful as newer movies, nor are the effects outstanding. Sometimes they can come off as downright cheesy. That being said, It was good. The acting was as expected and the music was enjoyable. I found the movie to even be a little nostalgic, recalling some teen romantic comedy movies from the 90's and 2000's. If you love romantic comedies, want a light movie, or have time to kill this is a good option.

STORY: the story is not 100% original, but it is entertaining and lives up to the manga/comic and romantic comedy genres. If those are not your preferences then it may be hard to sit through it, even I had to skip ahead a little at times. However, the lightheartedness and very comedic elements compliment and balance out the harsher and more realistic problems that are addressed. Those issues of poverty, sex, gender, age, prejudice and even illness are what drew me in more than the romance. while there were theatrics, they were well-suited for the film because it is based on a web comic.

ACTING: the acting/ dialogue is not the best I have seen and no one stands out to me as an extraordinary star, but they fit their roles. Each member of the cast worked their role to the best I think they could. From the dialogue and the acting you can tell it is early 2000's.

MUSIC: I found the music to be the best part. The songs were not distracting and were well timed throughout the film, emphasizing moments and acting. The effects were not always the best, especially when some sounds were off just the littlest bit with actions. I enjoyed the soundtrack though, especially the instrumental tracks.

REWATCH: I personally would not seek this movie out again, but it is good to watch at least once. I say this especially because of the more realistic subplot lines and details. Some people will love this movie and rewatch it many times, I personally enjoy other movies more. He Was Cool is a movie I would watch if it came on TV (as in I would not change the channel) but I wouldn't buy it or look for it online again.

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STORY : Well, I want to say I loved this. I want to. But, I didn't love it. For me this show was "more than okay" but not "great." There was something inconsistent about it that I could never quite put my finger on. But ultimately I figured out it lacked balance. There would be periods of tension and mystery from the law and crime aspect (an aspect I absolutely LOVED) and the supernatural was good, there was an unpredictability to its use in the show that actually added to the watching experience. Law/crime, drama, suspense, supernatural: check, check, check, and check. Final category: Romance. Romance! NO CHECK. Oh how I wish it had been consistent. I found the relationship between Suzy and Lee Jong Suk was okay, but sometimes seemed forced and honestly I enjoyed the moments where they appeared just friends more. There was just a lack of chemistry at times, that majorly impacted my watching. I found I couldn't care less at times; I'm not sure if it because their interactions seemed forced at times or the idea that (for lack of better phrasing) fate is playing such a big part in the show that the romance didn't have the chemistry, challenge and tension that I was hoping for. I also would have liked to have seen a more natural gradual development that allowed for all aspects of the show to coexist rather than going through phases on a cycle that replaced one another. Overall, I enjoyed the story but it had its weak spots and left loose ends.

ACTING : I overall really enjoyed the cast. Lee Jong Suk was very well suited for his role, although it is not too much of a stretch from what he has done in the past. That didn't make me enjoy his performance any less! It just made me think of how I would enjoy seeing him utilized in a more diverse way because the man has skill for sure. As for Suzy, she has come far from Dream High but she still has moments that show she has not acted as much as others and she still has more to learn. Some actions seemed over the top for the scenes at times and other scenes were underdone and had a dead feeling. Acting is hard;  reading a scene and knowing your character well enough to do them and the show justice is hard. I understand that, but with that said her acting does need more work. I think given some more time, roles, or even classes (I don't know how she prepares) she will get better. On another note, Jung Hae In and Lee Sang Yeob stole the show. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed their performances. Both are so capable of reading every scene well, getting into character and staying that way even when he is not the focus of the scene (that was my main issue with Suzy). I will definitely be watching everything I can find with each of them in because I have a feeling Jung Hae In will only get better and Lee Sang Yeob has already proven his solid skill with his long list of roles but also with his ability to give a character such as Lee Yu Beom depth and dimension when he could easily turn into the usual drama trope character. As for the supporting cast, I think everyone was well cast. Every person showed skill and did well in their roles, even the children which surprised me. I expected the kids to maybe not be on par with the adults but I was very wrong and I have a couple kids I hope to see in more things.

MUSIC : The music fit the show but none of it was noteworthy enough for me to download. Pre-production allowed for the use of sound effects which aided some scenes, and BEAUTIFULLY done transitions for credits and scenes. I was caught off guard by that but they were done well enough to catch my attention.

REWATCH : This show benefits from the 30 minute or so episodes. That makes it binge-worthy (if you can stick with it) and it almost feels like it moves faster. However, shorter episodes leaves room for plot holes and loose ends. I think I would have to be bored or craving a certain aspect of the show to rewatch it, but it is rewatchable.

Like always, this is just my opinion and I would love to hear yours. Happy watching! :)

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Story: The story is not the most original, seeing as it is a modern retelling of Cinderella with a twist. That being said, it was a fairly okay twist. Of course, it has your usual rom-com teenage-ish trope of pretty boys and poor main girl (I wouldn't hold that against it, though; many dramas are like this). It was not an overly special story or plot, but it had moments to hook you in. I found myself loving some episodes more than others. I want to say this was a drama I could not stop watching but, in fact, it was quite hard for me to finish. The best parts for me were not given enough screen time and the ending felt rushed and a bit cliche.

Acting/Cast: I loved many cast members, and hated other characters (there's always at least one lol). Park So Dam was the female lead, and I have never seen her in another show. For me, I really enjoyed her acting and the chemistry she had with Jung Il Woo. She has become a favorite for me. As for Jung Il Woo, I much preferred him in this role than his role in Flower Boy Ramen Shop. The maturity and playfulness were at levels that just seemed more appropriate for him. Ahn Jae Hyun has quickly become a favorite of mine, I loved him as the younger brother in You Who Came From the Stars, and I enjoyed him in this show. However, His relationship with Son Na Eun was overly obnoxious and tiring with the push and pull. Lee Jung Shin played his role very well, acting so perfect and jilted but loyal. I really enjoyed watching him. Choi Min Sung was quite good as well, very subtle nd I think many don't give him enough credit. He was very good. Overall the cast was not bad at all; everyone fit their roles. There were just characters you like, hate, and couldn't care less about.

Music: THIS SHOW HAD A WONDERFUL SOUNDTRACK. I enjoyed the music more than the show I think. I immediately downloaded the OST. The songs are recognizable, even when mixed and altered for different parts of the show. Each song used in te show fits so well, adding rather than distracting. Anyone who knows me knows how important that is. The sound effects that I remember were not too distracting, especially considering I can't remember any in particular.

Rewatch: I would not rewatch this, however, blooper compilations for it are hilarious. If some compilation of good and bad moments in the show came up (how some people put moments together for fan-made music videos? I might watch that). I do know some people enjoy it enough to rewatch all of the show or certain episodes. I would have to be very bored and have nothing else to watch.

Overall: This drama was alright, you love some actors and their characters and get incredibly tired of others. The music is the best part, the story was okay. I wouldn't rewatch this, even for background noise, but I know some will. I would give it about a 7.5.

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Okay, before we begin there is one thing you need to know. This is a lakorn, which is not a typical drama like Korea, Japan and other places produce. Lakorns are more soap opera-ish in a traditional sense. The Handsome Cowboy is a Slap and Kiss drama which means the whole premise is that someone is a major jerk ( or more fitting, a douchebag) and/or there is a huge misunderstanding and the relationship is love-hate (emphasis on hate). So, do not expect lighthearted fights, violence or absolutely no mentions of sex. This show gets very suggestive and heavy with it all at times. That is the point of the genre. 

Story: The overall story was not bad, handsome playboy and innocent seeming girl have a love hate relationship and there are crazy and sweet supporting characters. It was not the most original story but it was done fairly well. The settings, especially the farm, were absolutely beautiful although the scripting was not always the best. This was a promising start to the series, in my opinion, although it went through phases that were very fast and at times slightly slow.

Cast: The cast made this show from meh to okay. The scripting was alright but what the cast did with the script was better. They know how to interpret scenes and how to get outlandish just enough to remind you this is based on a book/comic  series. Kasetin Puttichai had the male lead, Sibtit, down to a T and was easy to fall for -  but you know you shouldn't because at times the title badboy . However, I won't lie, with certain scenes it seemed the writer was trying a bit too hard to make him like an anti-hero even though it fit the genre. Prick Kang was adorable and feisty; she gave life to a character that came off as inexperienced rather than too innocent and dumb. The rest of the cast fit their roles well and gave the show an atmosphere I wasn't expecting.

Music: This drama had some catchy theme songs! While the OST was limited it was very enjoyable and I hope I can find it to download. Song choices and arrangements added to the scenes especially the melancholy ones. As for sound effects used in the show, they often added an extra level of comedy to scenes.

Rewatch: This score is coming from ability to rewatch and ability to binge. Each episode is about 70 minutes, which seems long until you remember there are only 8 episodes. This makes it an easy watch if you can stay focused on it and I personally recommend that because it is easy to put down and not pick up right away if other shows come up (but I do that with many shows so it may just be me). This show is lighthearted enough to binge and has certain heavy scenes to keep you invested or shock you into quitting this installment of the show. It is also pretty good for rewatch if you want something sweet because it's easy to remeber the sweet episodes and the dramatic episodes. It is a show you can easily cherry pick an episode when you want a pick me up, you have time to kill, or want background noise/entertainment.

Overall: This show is a 7 for me. It's average. Eye candy, drama, romance, comedy are all there in a nice short-ish watch. It isn't the best show but it definitely better than some of the messes I have watched.

Like always, I hope this helped and happy drama watching! :)

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STORY - This was my first drama so obviously the story was very original for me. I love all the characters and the idea of a performing arts school. Each person has their struggles and their goals, you can always identify with someone, cheer someone on or complain about someone that just won't get the hint yet. The writers did a wonderful job with keeping the story going, nothing gets stale or lags. I was not completely satisfied with the ending but it was not the worst ending I have experienced. I was wonderfully surprised with this drama.
ACTING - I honestly had no idea just how many idols were in this show when I first began watching (dumb I know, but I wasn't really into kpop yet.). The acting was very nice, well suited for each person and the relationships portrayed were very realistic. Each character has moments that are good and bad and the audience gets pulled right along for the ride. The acting isn't the best, of course, but it is a lot better than some things I have seen. I was happy with it, and I fell in love with Kim Soo Hyun of course. But who wouldn't??? Jason and Pil Suk. favorite characters forever; no matter what happens.
MUSIC - The music. This was my first drama, so it was my first show to download songs from and it was the catalyst for my liking kpop and my drama addiction. Music drama have become one of my favorite types and I think this show is the reason. I didn't like all of the music, and the opening theme can get tiring after a bit, but a liked a majority of it. The sound effects and placement of music within the episodes were fairly well done as well, without too many distractions.
REWATCH - This is a show that has a lot of rewatch value, but for me it is not enough to watch it all the way through a second time. I like flipping through and watching key scenes - especially the music scenes. I know a lot of my friends have watched it multiple times all the way through though.
OVERALL - 8.5! The show was pretty good, the cinematography and effects weren't mind shattering but well placed considering the type of drama. The music was really great. the ending wasn't as great as expected but pretty okay. The acting was well suited as well. I think it was a great first drama experience and I really like it. Lol I have a soft spot for it.

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