The best Korean Drama ever and one of the best live-actions ever produced, period.

Sure, my headline may not be to everyone's taste, but I have no doubts this is one of the best live-action shows ever made.

We all know the Japanese are the masters of live-action, with awesome movies and dramas such as Rurouni Kenshin, I want to eat your pancreas, Death Note, Tokyo Revengers, to name a few. The West have a few too, with the Avengers trilogy being at the forefront as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Just looking at the shows named above means that it will take a lot to make a new live-action that is on par with those mentioned above, and South Korea isn't really known for their live-action shows.

That has all changed with Moving. This is the groundbreaking one, the series that finally breaks the ceiling for Korean Cinema, the one allows Korean to proudly proclaim "we can produce live-action films and dramas too, and a damn good one as well".

Based on the story by Kang Full, a popular Korean manhwa artists, this drama basically tells the story of a group of superpowered human and their children.

The way their story is told is non-conventional and this actually adds a lot to it's charm.

With multiple Baeksang Arts Award (the highest and most prestigious film, drama and theater honours in South Korea) winning actors and actresses such as Han hyo-joo, Jo In-sung, Ryu Seung-ryong, Ryoo Seung-bum, Cha Tae-hyun, Kim Sung-kyun, Moon Seung-keun, Kim Shin-rok and Yang Dong-geun, you can be assured that acting quality will not even be an issue to be discussed. (I have to confess, this is probably the first and the only time you will ever see 9 Baeksang award winners in a single show, except for award ceremonies of course. If this isn't a reason in itself to watch this show, I don't know what is).

You will be able to witness spectacular performances, most notably from Ryu Seung-ryong and Han Hyo-joo. I dare say, even at this stage, these 2 actors will be the frontrunners for awards at the next Baeksang Arts Award.

The most unique part of this series is that this isn't your typical superhero show. There's no "let's all go save the world" overused plots. In facts, it's almost as if the superhuman beings in this show never wanted to be heroes in the first place. They just want to live as normal human beings with their family members. Whether they are able to do so and for how long is the crux of the story.

To tell a superhero story is easy. We have an abundance of films and dramas on them already (marvel cinematic universe, DC cinematic universe etc etc). To tell a superhero story that is centered so much on family, parent-child and schoolmates relationships is on the other hand, not that easy. A wrong touch and it may end up as a bore. Moving however managed to do it with applause.

This is a show not to be missed. It is a masterpiece for the ages.

PS : Keep you eyes wide open. There are quite a few easter eggs here and there.

Leggi di Più

The highest grossing kamen rider film in history. A great ride!

Firstly, i am not a follower of the kamen rider series although i do know them since i was a kid. Kamen rider is pretty iconic in Japan and Asia, just like Ultraman and Godzilla.

Helmed by the brilliant Hideaki Anno, the mastermind behind the Shin series (Shin Godzilla and Shin Ultraman), this film stars Sosuke Ikematsu as Kamen Rider 1. What really drew me to this film is actually Minami Hamabe.

The story basically starts from the creation of Kamen Rider. Minami plays Ruriko Midorikawa, the daughter of the brilliant scientist Dr. Hiroshi Midorikawa, who is basically the creator of Kamen Rider 1. It's basically a story of the war between Kamen Rider and an "evil" organisation called "Shocker". Que the inverted comas because there's a reason for it. Watch it to find out.

I have been a fan of Minami Hamabe since forever. To see her reuniting with Emoto Tasuku (they both starred in the drama series Dr. White) is indeed a treat. I really loved her acting here. She just embodies her character really well.

The CGI used is pretty interesting. Some may find the fighting scenes rather dizzying or bloody but i personally enjoyed them. I liked the chemistry between Ruriko and the 2 Kamen Riders. Overall, the acting by all the casts were great. Although this is essentially an action-movie, there are some really well-done touching/sad scenes.

PS: there are actually quite a number of cameos by popular actors and actresses such as Masami Nagasawa and Yutaka Takenouchi. Keep an eye out for it.

Overall, this is a great watch. The storyline is good and consistent. Although this movie's box office performance isn't as good as the previous two shin series, it is still the highest grossing kamen rider film in history. I believe the lower box office gross is due more to the fact that the Kamen rider series itself is not as popular as that of Ultraman and Godzilla.

Is it worth the watch ? DEFINITELY!

Leggi di Più

A crash course to craziness!

A first look at the casts and if you are a fan of Korean movies and dramas, the first names you will notice is the acclaimed actress Jeon Do-yeon. A 4 times Best actress winner at the Baeksang Arts Awards, you are pretty much guaranteed a drama with good acting. Or course, Jung Kyung-ho is no slouch in the acting department either.

However, as the show progresses, what really caught me was the acting of the students, in particular the young and beautiful Roh Yoon-seo. Boy can this girl act. It's funny how i first saw her in 20th century girl where I thought she was really good, but due to her being the 2nd lead, she didn't have too much screen time so I sort of forgot about her. Then as I watched this show, I went back and watched her previous drama (which also happened to be a mega hit, Our Blues) and she really blew me away there with her acting as a pregnant teen student.

Coming back to this drama, it's not an exaggeration to say that the actors/actresses acting as students really carried quite a portion of this drama.

Funny scenes aside, with a focus on the overbearing parents and a dog-eats-dog world of high school life, this show really sheds serious light on how an uncompromising and competition-focused education system can bring not only honor and pride to successful students, but also massive pressure and heartache to students and parents alike.

At times, this show really makes you feel for the students. That is all thanks to the brilliant acting from the young casts.

Of course, as per the title of the drama, there's a healthy dose of romance and comedy involved, as well as some darker theme (serial killer, anyone?).

Plot-wise, I won't call this the best storyline or anything. In fact, I would say that there are quite a few major and glaring plotholes as well as some unresolved plot (guess the writer just forgot about it along the way). However, what is lack story wise, it definitely made up acting wise.

I would say this is definitely worth a watch, simply for the great acting by all the casts involved. Mark my words, Roh Yoon-seo is certainly a name for the future. I hope she will reach the heights of Jeon Do-yeon. (sorry if this turned into a Roh Yoon-seo worshipping post lol).

Leggi di Più

The Witty Dynamic Duo!

The chemistry is fire!

This is a story regarding a brilliant but flawed lawyer and his by-the-book assistant.

Yoshio Haneoka is brilliant and has a photographic memory. However, he suffers from panic attacks whenever he is under severe pressure.

Shoko Ishida on the other hand has failed her bar exams 4 times. However, it is not because she is dumb. I will not spoil the reason as the reason itself is considered a major part of the plot.

They both now work in Ishida's father's law firm, taking on a variety of cases. The question is : can this flawed duo actually solve any of the cases that they take on? Can they overcome their own weaknesses and fears in the process?

Every episode deals with cases involving different scenarios and it's refreshing to see how the duo uses different approaches to solve the cases.

There's also a romantic angle involved but it doesn't overshadow the main story so it's really well done in that aspect.

The acting is top notch, as expected from the likes of Kasumi Arimura and Tomoya Nakamura.

Watch it, even if it's just for the lit chemistry between Kasumi and Tomoya.

Leggi di Più

An Amazing Entertainment/Reality TV Show With an Amazing Casts

Where else are you going to be able to watch a show with so many amazing actors and actresses all in one? Look no further.

Every episode is either funny , interesting or purely entertaining. I just couldn't stop laughing at times. It's interesting to see the actors' genuine reactions to some unexpected situations.

I came for Kwon Na-ra (she's just sooo amazingly beautiful, funny and silly) and now I can't wait for more! Seeing the likes of Park Seo-Joon being so silly and funny is really a sight to behold. (Radio?? lol. Watch it and you will know what I mean).

It's really a show worth watching even if it's just for the sake of seeing popular actors and actresses interacting with one another, some whom have known each other previously whilst some whom are fans of each other but have never met. You might even end up watching their dramas (like me as I'm now a fan of Choi Sung-eun as well, lol).

This is one show that is definitely not to be missed!

Leggi di Più

A Wonderful Tale of A Mother's Love

At first glance, I had absolutely no idea what this movie is about. I started watching thinking that it was just a normal story about a young girl trying to achieve her dreams of being a pianist.

How mistaken I was. Beneath the surface lies a wonderful tale of the depth of a mother's love for her child.

To be frank it's hard to write this review without giving out spoilers because even going a bit further into the film will pretty much end up spoiling it.

To some, this may be a simple run of the mill sob story but if you actually look at the relationship of the leads, you will understand why the twist towards the end of the film is actually much more touching and memorable than a generic sob story.

I've known of Ishihara satomi's popularity but I've only really watched a single drama of hers. She's really beautiful but her acting here made me understand why she's one of the most popular actresses in Japan.

Nagano Mei is a very talented up-and-coming actress and again, you can see why she's highly regarded thanks to her good acting here.

Kurumi Inagaki who plays little Miitan will be a star actress in the future (I hope). Her acting here is absolutely top-notch for a child actress.

Prepare some tissues. Perhaps at the end of the film you may want to give your Mum a big hug.

PS: my rating of 9 for rewatch value is mainly for those scenes of Miitan and her Mum (both child and adult Miitan).

Leggi di Più

Vengeance is best served cold!

Amongst all the romance, slice of life and comedy dramas, we have been served with this gem of an action cum legal drama (with a tinge of mystery added in).

First off, dramas tend to stick strictly to their main genres (e.g romance) for most of their airtime. Hence, it's fascinating how this drama managed to mesh two separate genres effortlessly without sacrificing one or the other.

This is mainly due in part to the superb script and excellent acting by all the actors.

Acting wise, Jo Bo Ah is excellent as the mysterious Cha Woo-in. This is the first time I've watched her in an action role and boy did she nailed her role to perfection. She impressed me a lot in the first few episodes of Tailed of The Nine Tailed and boy did she ramped up her acting here.

I've watched a few of An Bo-Hyun's dramas but he was mostly in supporting roles. However he clearly showed his acting chops here. It is pretty impressive how he managed to keep his actual motives a secret for quite the duration of the show.

This drama also touches on many thorny and controversial issues which has been affecting the public not only in South Korea but other countries as well i.e sexual assaults and bullying. It's good to see directors not shying away from shining the spotlight on such major issues instead of just relegating them to the side.

Another major plus point of this drama is that equal screentime and emphasis are given to both male and female villains. We have plenty of tv series which focused purely on the male villains as the main villains whilst the female villains are sidelined.

Viewers are also kept in suspense as to whether certain obviously evil characters will be able to redeem themselves. The writing on this part is superb.

All in all, I will call this a masterpiece action/legal drama. It's definitely worth your time, as it did mine.

Leggi di Più

An interesting story of 3 Italian men stranded in Japan during World War 2

I'm Kasumi Arimura's biggest fan so maybe my review is biased but then again, this is a really fun watch.

I like how unlike a lot of Japanese films on world war 2, this one doesn't really touch on which side is right or wrong nor does it promote Japan nationalism during the war.

Rather, it is more of a comedic take on 3 Italian sailors who happen to be stranded in Japan and treat as a semi Prisoner of War due to Italy's suddenly change of stance during WW2.

You have to give props to the acting by the 3 Italian guys. They are funny and yet, emotional at the same time. You just find yourself rooting for them somehow or other.

Kasumi is great as usual but Ninomiya actually surprised me here. I've watched a couple of his shows and I know he is quite an acclaimed actor but still, he's really good here as the Japanese commander who is tasked with supervising the 3 Italians.

It's a fun movie which is suitable for everyone and it's worth the watch.

Leggi di Più

Such a gem of an asadora

This is my first time watching an asadora. No doubt the only reason I even considered watching a 156 episodes (albeit 15 minutes each) show is because the lead actress, Kasumi Arimura happens to be my favourite actress.

However, over the course of the show, I cant help but be impressed with the storyline and acting of the casts. You have almost every genre thrown in i.e a slice of mystery, romance, family relationships and comedy. Of course there isn't any action scenes (LOL) but It was a truly enjoyable watch.

We basically follow the journey of Mineko whose peaceful countryside life was thrown into a turmoil when her beloved father who was working in Tokyo suddenly disappeared one day. As she goes to Tokyo in search of her missing father, we basically witness all the trials and tribulations she faced in her.journey.

The show started off slow and boring at times but picked up speed the moment Mineko arrived at Tokyo.

Of course the 156 episodes may not be for everyone (and there's a 4 episodes part 2 as well) but it was totally worth my time. The supporting casts did really well and everyone played their part to perfection. Definitely worth a watch.

Leggi di Più

What An Amazing Mini-Series. One of the Best Jdrama of the year!

It won't be an exaggeration to call this one of the best, if not the best Jdrama of the year.

It's amazing how a 25 minutes 6 episodes short drama can have such an impact on the viewers.

This drama is based on a real-life criminal probationary System in Japan where trained volunteers are appointed as probation officers for convicts.

This drama essentially follows what I will call the adventure of one such female voluntarily probation officer, Kayo Agawa in her duties in dealing with 3 convicts who were placed on probation.

Each convict's case is dealt with separately although there are some overlap in so far as the supporting actors appearances are concerned. I have to say that each episode is so thought-provoking, touching and excellent that you will be amazed by the amazing acting from all the casts involved.

This is the first drama that I've ever watched that dealt directly with the job scope of a voluntary probation officer and it's really an eye opener on the challenges and difficulties faced by such officers. You may even wonder if some of the things showed in this drama are true and although it may seem unbelievable at times , it is actually totally true in real life. I've read articles that confirms that the depiction in this drama of the workings of such voluntary probation officers in Japan are pretty accurate.

If you are someone who wants to watch something unique and different from your everyday romance/horror/comedy drama, this one is for you.

It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's a gem of a drama.

PS: Ishibashi Shizuka is really a scene-stealer everytime she appeared on screen. I'm really amazed by her great acting.

Leggi di Più

A masterpiece for the Ages

This is really a masterpiece for the Ages. It's not my first japanese movie, far from it. But it's one that strongly reignited my interest in Japanese entertainment and it brought me to Minami Hamabe, one of my favourite actress.

It's hard to imagine how such young main leads, Minami Hamabe and Takumi Kitamura are able to carry a movie on such a tough subject to perfection, but they did and boy did they do it with aplomb.. Yes, terminal illness movies are plentiful. However this is so very different from the typical run in a mill terminal illness shows.

There's no heart-wrenching sorrowful sad tale, at least not until the very end. It's actually a pretty cheerful movie up until the major twist at the very end.

My favourite quote in the movie was that every meeting between people is not due to fate or coincidence, but is solely due to the choices we make. This is so very true in our everyday life. Your own choices determine the outcome of your life.

I have watched the film, the anime and read the book. All the adaptations are so well-done. However I do advice that you watch the anime after you watch this film, because it will perhaps make you feel abit better, like it did to me.

As I said, a masterpiece for the Ages.

Leggi di Più

A Korean Gem and Masterpiece for the times

When I first watched this drama, I couldn't even finish the 1st episode because I thought it was really boring. I wasn't much of an IU fan back then.

However, somehow I decided to watch Hotel del Luna (another masterpiece from IU) and that brought me back to this drama.

It was then I started asking myself "how the heck did I almost miss this greatness of a show?".

To think a couple of years back I used to dislike IU because I thought she was too overrated and only sings those teen songs. How wrong I was. Now I'm her biggest fan. I practically went searching for all her songs , downloaded all her tv shows and films.

Going back to this drama, it's just utterly touching and amazing. It's so realistic and full of life lessons. Don't even get me started on the awesome soundtrack by Sondia.

A drama turned me from an IU doubter to a huge fan. Seriously this girl can do everything entertainment wise. Her acting is just out of this world here. You will hate her at the start, sympathize with her in the middle and love her in the end.

Having a hard time in life? Maybe you should just try telling yourself "it's no big deal, it's really not a big deal". It might do wonders at times. Watch this. You definitely won't regret it.

Leggi di Più

An All Time Great J-Drama

I think it's the only drama I've watch more than 5 times. Yet every single time I've rewatched it, it still touches me.

The story seems really cliche i.e female lead with life threatening illness but there's just so much more to it. To see how the male lead stood by her despite having his own misgivings about her shady past just never gets old.

To me, this is really a story of tolerance, acceptance and understanding in love. It's also a story about perseverance. For example, there s a quote in the drama that even an illness can be a door to something good..How having to give up your seat to an old person is a bus is not unlucky, it's lucky because you are doing something good. That even if you forgot to bring an umbrella during a rain doesn't mean that you are unlucky, because the rain will eventually stop.

PS: Yada Akiko is such a cutie here. I actually rewatched this more than 10 years after I first watched it and I still find her and this JDrama to be one of the main reasons I'm so into JDrama.

Leggi di Più

A Tale of Epic Proportions

This is such an epic. Starring 2 of the best actors of all time in Korea, Han Hyo Joo and Ji Jin Hee, the chemistry between the leads are just astounding.

You just got to love the pure, sincere love that the King has for Dong Yi. It's just so sweet and innocent at times. The best part is seeing how no matter what sort of rumours or lies being spread, the King's trust in Dong Yi never wavers. That's really the best part of the drama.

The supporting casts, from the deceased Queen Queen Inhyeon to Jang Ok-jung were all excellent in their roles. The scheming villains were portrayed wonderfully and the storyline is just superb.

Despite the obvious length of the drama, the gripping scenes coupled with the tension up until the very last episode managed to keep me on my seat.

A tale of love, endurance and courage for the times.

Leggi di Più