Back when I finished watching They Kiss Again (the sequel to It Stated With a Kiss, the Taiwanese adaptation of the Itazura na Kiss manga) I pleaded (in my head :D) with drama producers everywhere to pleasepleaseplease make a Korean version and a new Japanese version because it was my most favorite series EVER.

Low and behold a Korean adaptation came to be a while back and I thought I was lucky then....but here we are with my second wish coming true: a brand spanking new Japanese version of Itazura na Kiss.

I was still surprised that I actually really enjoyed this series though because--when I found out about the casting--I was determined to hate it.

But alas, it went above my expectations and managed to show this already well-adapted series in a (somewhat) new light.

I still don't like it as much as I like the Taiwanese series (although I like some characters more) but I do like it MUCH more than the original Japanese drama, which was just horrible.

I would say I feel about it about the same way I feel about the Korean version (Playful Kiss): They are prettier to look at and they do a lot of things right the Taiwanese drama did wrong BUT because it's already been done before and because the amount of time given to each of the dramas was less than that of It Started With a Kiss and its sequel, both the Japanese and the Korean versions feel rushed and unoriginal in certain areas.

It can't really be helped. That's just the way it is--the Taiwanese version was first (well except for the original Japanese version that I just like to pretend doesn't exist) so for many viewers who watched that drama before watching Playful Kiss or this show will probably feel the same.

Having said that, this version is still worth a watch! Especially for younger viewers since the cast looks so young (some of them really ARE kiddos still lol). I have to say I liked Kotoko less than Oh Ha Ni but about the same as Xiang Qin so that was kinda a bummer. She wasn't terribly annoying in this version but I just enjoyed Ha Ni so much more in Playful Kiss that I wish her character could be that good in all the versions.

Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo does have my favorite portrayal of Kin-chan, though. Yey! I do wish he could have got a hair cut at some point though...

And Mrs. Irie is, unfortunately, my least favorite of the three versions. She wasn't horrible though, and she did grow on me, which is good.

All of the other characters are basically the same to me, including Naoki. I did enjoy some of his expressions that I think the other versions didn't have: the soft way he looks at Kotoko now and then, his (gasp) smile here and there...I DID like that about him but I pretty much like ALL of the different portrayals of Naoki so there wasn't anything different enough here to make me like him more, or less.

So whether you are a fan of the older versions or just looking for a cute Japanese romcom I would highly recommend this series! Especially now that you can marathon it and not have to painstakingly wait for a new episodes every week for 16 weeks (thanks Japan for your one-episode-a-week torture....). Have fun watching!

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My thoughts after re-watching this series are...that I'm not entirely sure I should have re-watched it. A part of me wishes that I had let it remain as a pure memory full of admiration and love.

And to be perfectly honest, I DO still adore this show. Also, this review is based purely on my re-watch of the first season as I have not gotten to the second season or movie yet.

Hana Yori Dango has a special place in my heart for two reasons:

1. It was the first Japanese drama I ever watched (along with "Nobuta wo Produce" as they were airing at the same time) and

2. I watched this while I was studying abroad in Japan, as it was airing.

Since then, I have re-watched the series a few times but it's been years now since my last re-watch and I definitely notice some glaringly poorly executed qualities.

To explain--I have had this idea for a while now that Japanese dramas are not what they used to be. I always refer back to Hana Yori Dango as kind-of being the headliner for the "golden" days of J-Dramas. They were SO good...and then they were not. And I could never really put my finger on why.

After re-watching HYD, I have come to the realization that it's not necessarily the fact that Japanese dramas have changed for the worst so much as I have just out-grown them. This is because many of the issues that I have when watching Japanese dramas nowadays (inconsistent story, silly and unrealistic characters, over-done humor) are all present in HYD, and I think at the time I initially watched it, I just didn't care...or know any better.

So, because of nostalgia, HYD still makes me "EEK" like a silly fangirl. It's still epic in my heart. However, if I were to watch it now without the memories and attachment I have associated with it I think I would not have enjoyed it nearly as much.

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I watched Good Morning Call kind of on a whim as I haven’t really been that into Japanese dramas lately and I’m really glad I did. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still all the things that irk me about j-doramas: cliché, silly, over-the-top, over-acted and unrealistic at times. However, it manages to be so stinking cute I just can’t help but love it. Also, it feels somewhat reminisce of Itazura na Kiss so I have those good nostalgia feels. As the characters become familiar and the story settles down, everything smooths out and it was really fun to watch. While Season 1 is quite long (compared to other Japanese dramas) it still breezes by.

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When it was good, it was REALLY good. But it was just never quite good enough. The mystery was full of potential, the romance was full of potential, the trajectory of the story was full of potential...and it just kind of always fell short. I could see what the production was aiming for and I think they just executed it poorly. I was left frustrated by the plot holes and a bit annoyed with reused supernatural plot devices (This is Goblin and You Who Came From the Stars 2.0, if you've seen Black and those dramas, you know exactly what scenes I'm talking about). I wanted more original material. Having said that, the fact that I’m worked up and upset about it proves that I did indeed love this drama at times (which is all the more reason why it disappointed me so). It’s worth a watch—just check your expectations at the door.

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== !! Very Minor Spoilers Ahead !! ==

I unintentionally had a somewhat unique perspective going into this drama, since I have just recently finished re-watching all of the Japanese version (Hana Yori Dango) which made it easy to compare the two. Getting right in to it—My first thought when I finished Meteor Garden 2018 was: ‘OMG…Finally…Done.’

Which was soon followed by a little pang of sadness because as much as I desperately wanted this series to be over, I am truly going to miss some of the characters (especially after spending forty…nine…episodes with them).

To preface this a bit: I have seen Hana Yori Dango multiple times, and I did obsessively watch Boys Over Flowers (the Korean version) when it aired, although I pretty much hated it. I have also seen a few episodes of the Taiwanese Version (Meteor Garden) and the first Chinese version that aired years ago (Meteor Shower…which apparently is unlicensed and “loosely” based) but I was never able or interested in finishing either.

We’ll start with the good then: this series has my favorite version of the Domiyoji character, Dao Ming Si. He had some of the character’s irrational characteristics (especially in the beginning) but overall, he was the most endearing and sweetest of them all. I think this had a lot to do with his actor, Dylan Wang. His expressions were adorable, and you just couldn’t help but fall in love with him.

I also really enjoyed this version of Soujiro (Xi Men Yan). He’s so good looking (I’m not shallow at aaaall haha) and of the 3 versions I’ve completed, this is the only one where his relationship with Yuki (Xiao You) actually becomes a real thing. I was so freaking happy!

The directing was really great as well. While I did feel bored frequently during this FOURTY-NINE episode journey, the directing kept bringing it back with some really well timed scenes that had just the right angles and all the right feeling.

Now let’s look at the mediocre:

Dong Shan Cai was not my least favorite version of Makino (looking at you, Boys Before Flowers *cringe*), but she wasn’t my favorite either. I actually really like the actress Shen Yue, who I saw recently in “A Love So Beautiful.” But her character in general really went up and down for me. For the majority of the series, I was pretty annoyed with her.

I also wasn’t really a huge fan of this Hanazawa Rui (Hua Ze Lei). He did grow on me more towards the end but let’s be honest—it’s damn hard to compete with Oguri Shun. #sorrynotsorry

The writing’s portrayal of this story was also pretty “meh.” The source material (the Hana Yori Dango manga) is pretty outdated and I think a lot of things could have changed to give this a fresher take. I did see the effort they made, and some of the interesting changes (for example, this was the least violent and intimidating of all the F4’s…as instead of being regular bullies, they just play a card game that everyone wants to beat them at). If someone has gone into this series without having seen any of the other versions, they might not find this point to be quite as pertinent. I still feel like the trajectory of the story and some of the traditional elements they stuck with could have been updated better while keeping the initial “wild-rich-boy-falls-for-good-poor-girl” premise.

That brings me to the bad—

Once again this has to do with the writing. Some of the dialogue was awful and the things they said and their actions seemed really cut-and-paste (not to mention, choppy).

Some of that could also have to do with the overwhelming lack of chemistry between the leads. I hate to say this, since I like them both individually and I think they are good at what they do…but, damn. For such an epic couple I felt almost nothing when they were together. Nothing that made my heartbeat quicken or anything. The closest they came to moving me was when they were in London, at the Chinese restaurant, having what they thought my be their last meal together. My heart ached for them then.

Also? All. The. Flashbacks. I guess they had to get to that 49th episode somehow but holly molly. I feel like the last 5 episodes or so for-sure where just one big repeat of the entire series. It was pretty annoying. This should have been maybe 30 episodes at most. As it stands, we were left with 19 episodes of wasted time.

Overall this was a good remake. It was definitely a step in the right direction towards updating this beloved classic, I’m just left feeling disappointed that they didn’t do more with it.

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Don't get me wrong, it was good...it just could have been so much better. The drama is very, VERY different from the manhwa...in fact it hardly resembles it at all, which was such a disappointment considering that I've been waiting for a live-action adaptation for FOREVER. While I did enjoy some of the aspects of the direction the production team took I have to wonder if the drama would have been more magical and unique had they stuck more to the original story (and I'm really not sure why they just didn't. Even if they had to make it centered in modern times). Nam Ju Hyeok though.....*fans face.* It's definitely worth a watch, just felt like something was missing and off the whole time. Bummer.

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This drama really surprised me with its ability to make me bust out laughing in nearly every episode. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it “hilarious” but it’s a rare feet to get me to laugh-out-loud these days in drama land, much less consistently throughout the series.

The story itself was very sweet. It was emotional and touching, with characters you just can’t help but love. While the missed-timing was continually frustrating to me (because it seemed really unrealistic and was used as a device to just keep the story going forcibly instead of in an organic way) I enjoyed the plot as a whole. There is a nice little twist towards the end that I didn’t see coming which definitely made me freak out a little in surprised-happiness.

Overall it wasn't anything all that special (unique) or exciting...but it was a cute filler-drama and definitely worth a watch.

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Ever since I started watching this drama it was often stuck in my head and since finishing it I feel that sinking feeling of sadness in my stomach and have thoughts about it constantly churning in my mind.

Ashes of Love was a *good* drama. It wasn’t perfect and it certainly had its lackluster moments, but overall it was engaging, sweet, and heartbreaking.

A large majority of my interest here is due to Deng Lun. Fair warning: much gushing ahead.

Hot. Damn.

I had not seen him in anything before this and I found that he looks a lot like Park Seo Joon at times, whom I just adore so pair that up with the fact that his character Xu Feng is not only the God of War but a freakin’ Pheonix…*fans face*

Literally: smoking hot.

Xu Feng (aka Pheonix) has probably ruined me for all other lead guys…he was loyal, sweet, smart, determined, and a real bad ass. His devotion to Jin Mi was so absolutely heartwarming AND heartbreaking…THE LOOKS HE WOULD GIVE HER. My God.
There is one scene where he’s kinda trying to win Jin Mi over and she rushes away, taking deep breaths and muttering “That was close…he’s so hot.”

YAS GIRL, we know.

It was both wonderful and terrible to watch him fall so in love with Jin Mi and to see how she (unintentionally) broke his heart over and over, but he never gave up!

I will say there were times in this drama where I hated most of the characters, even Jin Mi. But I never hated Xu Feng. Even during his coldest moments later on, when we hear his commentary in the end about what he was thinking/feeling during that time O-M-G. He is just so damn perfect.

Xu Feng and Jin Mi’s journey together is obviously the driving factor in the plot here but while there are some other great characters and a few subplots that were interesting, the story did lag now and then and I really didn’t care all that much when either of the leads were not involved. I mean, with 60 episodes there is bound to be a little dragging, so I can’t hardly fault it for that.

I do take a lot of issue with the ending, however. With the 60 episodes mentioned above, I feel like they had ample time to flush out a fully satisfying conclusion but instead it felt really rushed to me and I did not get all that I wanted out of it, which is a huge part of the reason I feel this gaping hole in my heart now that it’s over.

Also, a few characters were just like…never mentioned again in the last two episodes? They were side characters, but still…come on!

There is apparently supposed to be a sequel, but I think it’s unconfirmed whether this will be a continuation of Xu Feng and Jin Mi’s story (doubtful) or if it will simply deal with other characters in this world. Either way, if we get some more time with these characters I think that will help bring me more closure with their story.

Combine feeling unsatisfied with the conclusion with missing these characters dearly and I’m left simply heartbroken with the ending. I just have to wait for time to heal this wound…

Phoenix….TT_TT

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This is a 24 episode drama that really should of been 16 and NO MORE THAN 20 episodes! It started out so strong with lovable characters, an intriguing plot, and heartwarming moments. But somehow, everything got all muddled up and the drama rode alone solely on the cuteness of our two leads. Once that was taken away, there was nothing left. In fact, the last four episodes were so boring and lame I nearly dropped the drama if not for the fact that I had already invested 20 hours of my time by then. Plus, I wanted to see how everything wrapped up in the end. Honestly? It wasn't worth it. My first thought when I finished was 'Seriously? I waited 24 episodes for this?'

Granted, this drama DID have it's moments (mostly early on) and I will go forward with fond memories of a hilarious Joo Dae Sung [Kim Sung Ho] (takes my vote for best side character of the year) and the adorableness of Chung Jung Myung and Park Min Young (although their chemistry as siblings honestly takes the cake).

But other than that there is really nothing else. Personally, I don't think this drama is worth it so I won't recommend you watch it!

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Although I'm a Takahashi Rumiko fan, I've only ever read the first volume of the original manga and only really watched a few random episodes of the anime. From what I could tell, this special stuck pretty close to these as far as a two-hour special possibly could. Yes, it would of been nice to have some more sophisticated effects (like, maybe a CG panda instead of a panda suit) but really...it felt like watching a manga to me so I guess that means success in this case! The cast is pretty awesome (mostly familiar faces) and I felt it was enjoyable overall (if not somewhat eye-roll inducing). You just have to go with it. If you are a BIG fan of the original you probably will hate it (isn't that usually the case?) but casual fans and newbies alike will probably find something to like.

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This drama had really highs but also really lows. It bounced between ZOMG-THIS-IS-AWESOME down to ZOMG-I'M-SO-IRRITATEDPISSEDOFFANNOYEDRAWR and then pretty much just fizzled in the end. I'm a fan of this scriptwriter's other works (My Name is Kim Sam Soon and What's Up Fox in particularly) but I will admit that her other dramas have also suffered from the same emotional roller-coaster Me Too, Flower endured. Though strangely enough, I find myself missing these characters and feeling a bit nostalgic. Most notably, I miss Yoon Shi Yoon who absolutely blew me away with his fantastic charisma and presence. He really is a great actor. In fact, I will admit that I almost didn't watch this drama when Kim Jae Won dropped it because I wasn't familiar with Yoon Shi Yoon at the time and I didn't think there was any way he could possibly compare to Kim Jae Won. Come to find out, he was the best thing about Me Too, Flower and completely stole the show. Plus? I'm his fangirl forever now. So if there is one definite reason you should watch this, despite the plot hurls and madness, it is for Yoon Shi Yoon. Hands down.

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!! Contains VERY minor Spoilers !!==

This is a show I went in to fully expecting the melodrama and pain. I honestly did not read that much about it and was just kind of expecting something akin to “Just Between Lovers.” I was pleasantly surprised to find that, despite the darker story elements and the nature of the plot, it really wasn’t all that melodramatic or painful. It was intense and emotional, for sure. But nothing too “makjang” or over-the-top. I loved the character of Nak Won and how she went against the stereotype of what her character would typically be in this sort of story (ie full of blame, self-pity, and anger). Instead, she was warm-hearted and strong despite having to deal with some serious PTSD. Her love and support of Na Moo truly warmed my heart…she never blamed him for what his father did and the scene of her younger self getting out of the car and giving him a hug, telling him he had to keep on living...gave me goosebumps.

Na Moo himself was a heartwarming character—steadfast and loyal. He was so, so sweet. But something about him (I don’t know if this is a flaw in the writing or simply elements of his actor, Jang Ki Yong) just never had me that engaged with his character. There was virtually no chemistry between him and Nak Won, except with their younger counter-parts who were A-MA-ZING. And I think because of this, I couldn’t really get that into later parts of this drama. Even though the pace of the story was fine, it felt like it lagged and I just wanted it to be over, which is a shame given the initial fervor I went into it with. I still think this is a lovely and entertaining drama. I just wish I had loved it more in the end.

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A lot happened in my Real Life before I was able to watch the last two episodes of this drama (prior to this I was keeping up with MoonSun weekly) and I think the gap between watching episodes 18 and then 19-20 took away from my overall impression of the drama as I literally became distant from it.

For the first 18 episodes I watched it rather obsessively, despite it's flaws (and they are obvious and relentless). For some reason, this show just made my week every week. A lot of that is probably thanks to Kim Soo Hyun who is melt-into-a-puddle-of-fangirl-goo worthy. He is absolutely amazing and I enjoy every second I get to see him on screen. But then watching the last two episodes just made me cringe. It was like I finally realized how totally pointless and useless most (if not all) of the characters were and how lame the plot was overall. Perhaps if I had watched the last two episodes while it aired I would of still been so caught up in the MoonSun craze that I could of just brushed everything off and enjoyed the show for what it was. But alas, I cannot give it that "10-star" rating I would of instantly given it before. And I think the "7.5 Stars" rating is even pushing it, quality wise.

If you are looking for a good star-crossed lovers romance with heartbreaking friendship and betrayal, go see The Princess' Man. If you have already seen that drama, you will understand what I mean when I say it was like MoonSun tried to hit that same emotional level and quality but ended up overshooting and crashing and burning. It was pretty to look at, yes. It had some great acting (Kim Soo Hyun, Jung Il Woo, and the child actors specifically), for sure. But at its very core that is pretty much all it had.

My main and biggest peeve with the plot is the character of Yang Myung. What a horrible and terrible waste of Jung Il Woo's talent. What in the world was the point of his character? Yes, he was pitiful. But what was his greater purpose...? I felt like he was an accessory to this drama: left to the side until deemed useful and then abused until they were finished with him. Yeesh.

But anyway, I wish the climax to the plot at the end had been more exciting (or dare I say "surprising"?) than it was and that the last episode hadn't been so sporadic trying to balance being dramatic and sad with being funny and cute. It didn't work so well.

I can say that I will miss this couple. And I don't even care that there are much better couples out there--many of which I also miss, too--I just really clicked with these guys.

So...do I recommend watching? Eh. If you want a historical that is pretty, angsty, full of Kim Soo Hyun tears, and romantic with little to no action/plot; you will probably like it. If you want something more meaty you probably want to look else ware.

Side note: I watched the Musical version of this live in Seoul staring Kyuhyun from Super Junior. It was AWESOME. Totally recommend!!

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