Reviews

Hua Kai Ban Xia has a very original plotline. Trying to boost this drama because after watching the trailer, I didn't feel like it would have any substance. It proved me wrong in so many ways. I have never watched such a drama, honestly. Without all the romance, it would simply be a cat and mouse game, cops and gangs. But there is romance, and that made everything so different. The music, the scenery, the actors and actresses, they all made a very great drama. The love is really profound and it extends to every single character. There are some selfish ones but overall, they were just giving their all for their loved ones. Obstacle after obstacle, the main leads have to work together to move on. I have to say, I didn't expect the ending because there were so many other alternatives. I guess the writer had to go that far. It was cruel.
What I really loved about this drama is that no matter what, their love and trust for each other almost never wavered. The people around them were attracted to them because of that sense of devotion and innocence but were never able to get in between them. I thought the main actor was kind of too old for Qin Li but they made a great couple. There were so many sweet moments.
I skipped through all the cop and gang business. I hated those parts. As usual, the sins from the last generation were dragged down to the young generations and made everyone's lives terrible.
I loved the narration done by the main leads. What ifs, what could have happened, etc. After all, it's better to just never regret anything, which is greatly emphasized throughout the drama.
This drama's good point, in my opinion, is the love, ranging from family to friends to lovers. Definitely a must watch just for the pure love between the "siblings".

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I finished this series in two days or so. Amazing ride!

STORY 7/10
Simple and straightforward yet surprisingly entertaining. There were some obvious parallels with Hana Kimi (the shows share some of the crew and cast members) but it still brings something new and fresh. In comparison with Hana Kimi: it is probably not as crazy, it has a bit more of a 'fairytale' feel to it and the relationships between the characters are developed better, in my opinion. I wouldn't mind if this show was a 2-3 episodes longer and gave more of a closure to the romantic subplot (which, by the way, was better than the Hana Kimi one).

ACTING/CAST 10/10
You can't go wrong with Horikita Maki as your lead and people like Mukai Osamu, Yamamoto Yusuke or Okada Yoshinori (remember him from Hana Kimi? he played Mizuki's brother! what a difference!) in your cast. Great chemistry and everything. Loved them.

MUSIC 8/10
Catchy main track and main song, the whole score is highly enjoyable to listen to!

REWATCH VALUE 9/10
For me, the rewatch value of great crazy comedies is always high and Atashinchi no Danshi is no exception!

OVERALL 9/10
Highly enjoyable crazy comedy that I actually loved even better than the hyper-popular Hana Kimi.

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My Queen surprised me with how good it was. I almost quit no less than three times during the first episode because it was too over the top with the silliness/slapstick, but I pushed through. I was hooked by the end of episode 2. The slapstick left and the goofy remained, which made me laugh out loud several times throughout the series.

The chemistry between the leads was what really sold me on this show. Those two had sparks for days. I enjoyed how they remained the focus of the series and, although there were many other characters, we never forgot the show was about the central pair.

The rest of the cast was a nice comedic addition and the range of the subplots and mysteries were intriguing enough to keep me invested in the story.

The series did drag a bit in the final few hours and my tear ducts were drained, but it was a solid ending.
If you get through the first two episodes and you're smiling at that point, then you'll really enjoy this drama.

NOTE: on netflix you get a short and cute music vid at the end of each episode (34 eps at approx 43 mins each) and on Hulu/DramaFever you get the cute intro and song at the start of each episode (21 eps).

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So This is my first official review for a Drama & The first for Kamen Rider Kuuga. So bare with me if it's not up to par with those that are way more seasoned writers/reviewers. I will try to keep it nice and short for everyone's sake and mine because I can go off in novel style. So here we go:

What I liked about Kamen Rider Kuuga is that it was a dark and was deep, to elaborate, I liked that this was dark in that the theme and stories were meant to make us all think about what the characters were going through, we could relate to them (the lessons), that the good guys don't always win and take a beating. That one must not give up even though it looks like a losing battle, one must keep on trying to beat and over come evil. I liked that the main characters did a good job giving life and substance to their characters and made me enjoy this drama that makes nostalgic in that I was a Teenager when this Series Aired :'(

I Also liked that Whole meaning behind the Smile and The Thumbs up symbol, see I learned someone at the end of the series! :) The opening song and ending song are so addicting that it had me playing them both on repeat! It helped me like the series more as well associate it Godai Yuusuke aka Kuuga :) The other tracks as well are great! The plot and story was one that is not meant for children, it was for young adults, teens and adults since the dialogue and theme was one to deep for the kids to understand properly. But my 5 year old nephew liked it too as he would join my viewing sessions :) He & I loved his different Heisens suits and color variations! :p

Now what I didn't like (gripe) was the two filler/recap episodes, not going to say which episodes they are at the moment. I am not saying that it doesn't take away from the series or are not necessary at all, I'm saying that I can do with out them but I understand that it's there for a purpose. In that it helps you remember what has occurred to a certain point if you haven't seen it in awhile and need a refresher. But if you are Marathoning like I usually like to do, it can be A bit a bother or an annoyance.

Now I can officially say that Kamen Rider Kuuga Is My First & Favorite Kamen Rider! :) Since He's my 1st rider, He isn't going to be bumbled off that #1 spot ever :)

Geez I'm already sad that it's over :'(

Hopefully Kamen Rider Kuuga gets some more loving from all drama lovers and add it to their Watchlist!

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I'm not 100% sure how i feel about this drama because there were some parts I really liked but then there were some aspects that I just didn't like.

I just want to say how refreshing it was to see a female lead who stood her ground. She was strong, had a good job, and thankfully there wasn't any unnecessary drama because both sides didn't dwindle on anything for more than a few minutes in the episodes.

Story was a little..too unrealistic but it is a drama. typical rich guy, average girl just with a different twist on how they meet. But I liked both of the main characters and the supporting cast. Yoon Eun Hye and Kang Ji Hwan had good chemistry together. The funny scenes with them were probably the best thing about this whole drama.

I do feel that this drama was dragged on and shouldn't have been 16 episodes long. somewhere in the middle is was getting a little boring and you'd (possibly) start skipping through scenes. I could see this being 14 episodes and still being good. Also, I don't know how to say this without spoiling so I'll try and describe this without much detail. There was something I didn't like about how the two leads started to get closer. It didn't seem right, like there wasn't a flow for Kang Ji Hwan's character. It seemed his personality did a complete 180 and though adorable, threw me off a little. Maybe that'll make more sense when you watch it.

One thing I really did like was the music, especially one song by M to M. It was a perfect insert song and has been on repeat for a while.

Not sure if I'd ever rewatch this entire drama again, maybe i'll watch an episode or two that I know I liked but once was enough for me. I would recommend this drama to those who are bored and have nothing to watch.

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This is so addicting and you'll definitely be hooked!! ~ooops! I'm not talking about the drama I''m talking about the 2nd leading man, seo kang joon! lol

the story? no definitely not for me. I thought I was gonna love it since it's romcom but I didn't. I skip some part to finish this drama. hmmm what to say? the only thing that I like is whenever the 2nd lead guy have his moments. am I being to harsh and biased? anyways that's what I really felt, he made me laugh, smile and cry if it wasn't for him I would not go this far

Lee min jung is great. The acting of the main guy didn't like it at all especially when he acts cute it just doesn't suit him, the way he cries, laugh it's a no for me even the chemistry between the main cast is not so real, kinda stiff whenever they act sweet together I don't see sparks.

for the secretary L his acting was good :)
SKJ acting is good even though his a rookie:) for his role as guk even though he didn't get the heart of the girl that he likes at least he was able to capture the heart of audience, like me!! lol :))

ost? There are 2 soundtracks that I really like :))

but I'm still thankful to this drama cause I get to meet a great guy seo kang joon :) overall I won't recommend it to those who have seen a lot of drama.

WARNING: If your gonna watch it, be careful you might have 2nd lead syndrome, it's contagious.

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My first K-drama - Coffee Prince...where to start with this one?

STORY 8/10
The show consists of some popular rom-com tropes (girl disguised as a boy, love triangle/square, wealthyXpoor background, parents disapproving of a relationship etc.) but somehow it all feels new and genuine. I was surprised by the 'mature' feel of the series, the characters are in their 20's/30's and their actions are (mostly) very reasonable . There weren't many moments when I would feel embarassed for the characters (a welcome change if you're tired of J-drama characters' antics).
For me, the biggest flaw of this series was its pacing. Really, the first couple of episodes are ok but the second third of the show is seriously boring - I almost abandoned it altogether. Luckily, the last third of the series suddenly becomes fast and entertaining again and the ending is great.
I wish the coffee making and the actual running of the coffee shop were more prominent in the series. And I wouldn't be mad if the three 'princes' had more space than the beta couple (with their endless communication issues).

ACTING/CAST 10/10
They were all very good but the main couple - Gong Yoo as Choi Han Gyul and Yoon Eun Hye as Go Eun Chan - stands out for me. They were both flawless.

MUSIC 7/10
A lot was said about the music score in the other reviews and in the comments. For me, this soundtrack will not become my top favorite or anything, but I would recognize its main themes anytime.

REWATCH VALUE 5/10
Due to the slow second part of the series (ca. episodes 5-10), the rewatch value is quite low (I don't think I would get through that again). Though I will definitely rewatch my favorite scenes in the future.

OVERALL 7.5/10

WHAT KIND OF FEELS THIS SHOW GAVE ME
Happy and dying-of-all-the-cuteness feelz :). The ending was especially awesome - not many dramas have such a satisfactory ending.

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I'm surprised this drama's rating hasn't reached 8 - to me, it seemed both quite unusual and easy to like...

That being said, I do admit I had dropped it at first after two episodes, as many other people seem to have done - I can't recall what those first two episodes were like since I watched them months ago, but if you are looking for a drama without clichés and with a poignant romance, give this drama another chance! I know how common the give-this-drama-a two-episode-chance-you'll-see-it's-worth-it rule is, but it seems to me that it is more true for Protect The Boss than any other drama I have ever watched.

Perhaps this drama is more suited for experienced drama watchers, which I wasn't when I started it. Every typical cliché you find in a rom-com drama is cleverly used and turned around, which makes it a refreshing experience. Many of the main characters are "knock-off" stereotypes, and therefore end up being both comical and very relatable. For example, I have never seen a chaebol father/son relationship depicted quite this way: the father loves his son deeply, which, sadly enough, is a rare thing in dramas. Or else, the second female lead that turns out to be more than the typical spoiled, petty, beautiful rich girl.

Maybe another reason people often give this drama up is because of the female lead - I remember finding her loud, ugly, stupid and a bit too old for me to relate with. She ended up being one of my all-time favorite female characters though, not only because she's strong and talks back and blablabla, but because she's a normal, nice person with a lot of common sense - which is much is easier to like than the usual excessively nice, blindly self-sacrificing female protagonist... And I found her pretty too, in the end :)

It's so agreeable to watch... nice people for a change. Sure, this drama is light, but that doesn't mean it's stupid: on the contrary, I felt like for once the writers didn't just feed the viewers over-used drama formulas, as if they weren't aware of these tropes. It felt like all the main characters were carefully developed. And there were barely any misunderstandings, for once (a few towards the end, but they weren't completely absurd...) The drama was intelligent not because it gives some lesson, but because it was intelligently written.

I decided to give this drama another chance because I had posted a forum question looking for dramas where the male lead was obsessed with the female lead. Even though I love that plot, I also felt that kind of drama often winds up bad, because the girl ends up being too passive, and the guy too... stupid (in my opinion, Boys Over Flowers or The Heirs are examples of that). However, in this drama, I was able to watch my favorite kind of obsessed protagonist without grinding my teeth - the romance was the kind that made my heart flutter without it being unrealistic or silly, but on the contrary, very down to earth.

The major flaw may be the last episodes - I liked them, but they're probably the weakest compared to how strong the rest of the drama was. Oh well, I'll take 14 excellent episodes for 2 mediocre beginning ones and 2 nice ending episodes anytime.

Try this drama if you're looking for characters that you can truly like! The friendships and love stories that develop are sweet and unexpected :)

p.s: ah yes and the guys are handsome ;)

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I don't usually write reviews, but I thought I should say something since no one else has. I just watched this on Netflix, and I thought it was a fun lil' movie. The primary focus of the film is the relationship between Mai and Mio, or more accurately, how they help each other. Mai, having been betrayed by her partner seeks to use Mio to help clear her name. Mio is a strong, young girl who struggles over her use of karate when she gets angry.

It could have done with a little more development, all around the movie felt like it was establishing plot points without really taking the time to develop them. The bad guys were very two-dimensional and uninteresting. Even our main characters didn't get the chance to be fully explored. We were introduced to different aspects of their personalities, but didn't get to fully understand how and why they were important to who they were. Mai and Mio's relationship could have also used more development.

That being said, I did enjoy the fluff. It's not a movie that should be taken seriously, but if you're in the mood for something fun that doesn't tax your brain, then you should enjoy the 82 minute film.

p.s. I don't really understand why the big bad boss man was dubbed over in English. It was in no way relevant to the story that he speak English.

p.p.s. I rated the music with a 7/10 because it's an average score, and unless music is exceptionally good or exceptionally bad, I don't really notice it.

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It took me a while to get used to this type of Japanese drama where it's showing comical actions similar to manga/anime style. I like it though after a few episodes, the music is top-notch, it's something I look forward to when I watch an episode. Acting is ok, wouldn't say it's the best I've seen but they have charm, the actor playing Mine is really good though, I like his acting. I haven't read the manga or watched the anime yet, so I don't know how true the live-action is to the original work, but I was expecting it to be focused more on Nodame's story, which in the drama, specials and movies it didn't really, it's more like Chiaki is the main character. While there should be really no complains about it being Chiaki's story but still I was hoping for more of Nodame's growth, but it was so slow and I really wish they focused on her more cos I really want to know more, she isn't a simple character after all, she has more depth but I don't think it was fully utilized. Also there's some really good supporting cast on this with their own background and story to share, just wished the director focused on that as well. Anyways, I'm recommending this drama, it's fun, lively and the musical scores are great.

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This drama had me from the very first scene. It was intense and, once i got a feel for the direction it was going, I followed right along. Since it was airing at the time I began watching, I had to wait for each episode to come on; then, after a pause, I picked it up on my favorite k-drama web server to see what in the world I had missed, and was going to happen next. Once I had caught up, I breezed through the remaining episodes in less than a week.

I Loved it. Aside from having one of my favorite actresses in the lead role, the story line and the movement from episode to episode held my interest to the point that, when the final credits were rolling, and I realized there were no more plot twists to come, I got that sinking feeling, "What will I watch next that'll make me not miss this one so much?" With each plot element rolled out in regular succession, the tale got deeper and deeper into my own psyche. I felt at times like my own suspension of disbelief had been stretched to its outer limit. Still, at other times, (when not being so particular), I was held in rapt attention waiting for the next clue to drop. I suppose that's what we're in it for and this one had it in spades.

The push-pull of repulsion-attraction-repulsion-attraction between the main characters wasn't as contrived as most dramas make it and these characters seemed to be going through real emotional turmoil. And (it makes sense) that the cure to their necessarily constant proximity, had to be prolonged separation which only complicated matters toward the end. Life and death (and the paradoxes of a middle ground somewhere in between) were vividly explored and exhaustively teased out.

As the resolution to each episode's immediate conundrum was reached, the leads were more unstable in their own relationship. Questioning their own motives and each other's sincerity. Each metaphysical entanglement wrought further existential complications. I even started to think that whatever happens to shatter the binding spell between the two, couldn't be worse than the constant dithering between affirmation and denial; passion and antipathy.

Toss in supporting characters whose presence in the piece created a subversive dynamic tension that helped increase the perplexity and inhibited both lead's determination. Predictably, this brought unnecessary confusion and, at times, tended to get tawdry and overwrought. Everyone had difficulties that only our Girl could fix, and it took more and more out of her spirit in order to bring, for some, their long hoped for resolve. Yet, for others, they had been brought to a place where they were forced to face what they had long been determined to evade.

Finally, when there was no one left, whose problems were yet to be 'handled' on either side of death's misty veil, our main Man and his leading Lady had only to realize what they truly meant to each other after such an ordeal. Mysticism, fate, romanticism and luck are a potent mixed cocktail; from which cup, we drink to our own sorrow, joy, pain and amusement. The Master's Sun serves it all up for those willing to partake of it. Drink up, ye hearty souls, for tomorrow we die. But, while we are yet alive, enjoy as much as is set before you. Drama like this informs our imaginations to give us alternative modes of thinking about what it is we ought to believe; and with that in mind, this one's worth watching again...

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This drama is different. Good-different. Amazing-different. Phenomenal-different. It details the growth and struggles of two young people trying to face their pasts, their fears, and finding solace in one another. There is no overlying mystery plot, no birth secrets, no rich handsome boss/coworker/perfect-man and poor cute employee/teacher/student/average-girl. The attraction begins right away, and the characters are what makes this drama.

I first got into MARS because of Meteor Garden, which also starred Barbie Hsu and Vic Zhou. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from the two of them. Meteor Garden was their first acting gigs, and I figured they didn't have the experience yet to be truly great. Boy was I wrong (and gladly!). The amazing depth with which they imbued their characters left me wanting more in the subsequent dramas I watched. Sigh...

Music/aesthetics wise - this drama was waaaaaay back in 2004, when taiwanese dramas had terrible funding, bad fashion (at least how we would consider it now), and different filming styles. Don't expect amazing packaging or cinematography, and expect most of the boys to wear their hair long. In this case I feel like MARS doesn't suffer from it however, since the character's personalities are the most appealing and strongest parts of the drama. There are two songs that are particularly gorgeous, but most of the other tracks were instrumentals and easily forgotten. Not that that's a bad thing (I'm looking at you Almost Paradise!).

A word of warning however - this drama deals with dark issues, and may contain possible triggers. I'd suggest looking up the summary before watching it, because I know that personally I watched it better knowing the general subject and plot.

Now where to find the next drama up to par with this one?

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Overall, I enjoyed watching this drama. There were moments that made you laugh and there were also moments that made you cry. At the beginning of this drama, I wasn't pleased at all. For the first four episodes, I completely hated how twisted both Ae Ra and Jung Woo were. Ae Ra, with her childish and petty revenge schemes and Jung Woo, who was cold and cruel and only thought of his point of view. Somehow I managed to get past these episodes and continue watching. I'm glad I did because this drama and its characters began to grow on me.

Story - The story is pretty simple. A woman and a man divorce because of monetary issues and stress (and a few other problems that I can't spoil). There wasn't anything really special or unique but I liked the way the story was conveyed. One annoying thing was the misunderstandings between the characters in the drama. They were sooooo annoying. The pace of the drama was okay, I don't remember there being any draggy parts. At first I didn't really find the show funny because of the depressing beginning but when I kept watching, there were definitely moments where I laughed really hard c:

Characters - Here's where I have a lot to say! Even though I disliked both Ae Ra and Jung Woo at first, as the story progressed I was able to understand both of them more. They both made mistakes, it wasn't one person's fault. Character development was great in this drama. At first I felt like Jung Woo's transformation was completely unrealistic. I was thinking "What the heck. How can such a dorky and sweet guy turn into such wicked jerk? Sure, he has a right to be upset but he's going way too far". Well it turns out, Jung Woo didn't change as much as it seemed. He was actually still a complete dork LOL. I found his dorkiness so funny and adorable and soon it felt like Ae Ra who I thought was the immature one was actually the mature one in their relationship. I began to understand Ae Ra too, why she divorced him and how she felt about it. My original opinion of her changed drastically and I began to really love her and Jung Woo as characters, both of them were hurt by the divorce. The antagonists in this drama were the worst though. I hated how they made the second leading woman all nice and sweet at first and turn her evil (like in every other drama). I honestly expected it anyways so I wasn't too upset. The dad was pretty typical too. What I REALLY hated was how they messed up Seung Hyun. I loved his character until the writers tampered with it and turned him into a completely different person. He became annoying and frustratingly selfish ugh. Then there's the people that work in the company with Ae Ra. Most of them were pretty rude and mean but they (kinda) got better. It was pretty upsetting to see so many annoying supporting and second lead characters.

Acting/Cast - I liked the cast. Lee Min Jung is really beautiful and I think she played Ae Ra well. Joo Sang Wook was also good at playing Jung Woo, I liked him and found him a lot more attractive than I did in another drama he played in. This is the second drama I've seen both Lee Min Jung and Joo Sang Wook in but the first I've seen them in leading roles.

Music - It was okay, I liked some songs and I can't really remember others much. It wasn't too memorable.

Rewatch value - I'd rewatch the funny parts, probably the funny parts with Jung Woo and Ae Ra. "I have plastic flower!" LOLOL, if you watch it you'll know what I'm talking about. xD

Overall - It was very enjoyable after I got past the beginning episodes and I liked it. 16 episodes, not too long and perfect for this drama. I wasn't very fond of the beginning and it wasn't anything really special and I didn't really have many squeal-worthy moments so that's why I gave it a 7.5/10. If you like divorce stories where the couple makes up, I'd recommend this to you. ^w^

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This movie was very... well, interesting as far as story goes. The overall theme of the story is that, if two souls belong together, they will find each other no matter the circumstances. Many moments of the two main characters falling in love together I found very touching. As the story progresses, though, things get weird. I will not spoil it, but it just... it gets weird. It didn't make me too horribly uncomfortable, but about 2/3rds of the way through the film, you will realize what exactly is "wrong". It doesn't deter from the feel or the message of the film, but it's just... an interesting concept. I'll leave it at that. Overall, it's a good love story with a rather interesting plot twist thrown in.

Acting was great. I love MatsuJun, it's always a treat to see him. Juri did extraordinarily well with him and I felt they both had a lot of chemistry. Also, her hair style is adorable. The minor characters were good actors as well, but the main two were great, as expected.

I have to say that the cinematography, lighting, and overall feel of this movie is exceptional. It's truly beautiful from start to finish, it fits the film's message, it makes you feel nostalgia for these characters that you've only known for 2 hours. It's just fantastic. If you have no other reason to watch this movie, watch it for the shallow reason of "It looks so goddamn pretty".

The music is pretty good, but I don't recall anything from the OST that stood out. With one exception. I swear, whenever I hear "Wouldn't It Be Nice", I am going to cry.

Overall: watch if you like love stories or any of the actors in the film. It's not for everyone, but it's definitely worth it to give it a shot. Or, if you're shallow and love movies that look pretty (like me), definitely watch this movie.

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This was a pretty damn good movie! But I've rarely have watched a Sol Kyung Gu movie and NOT been satisfied. This movie had action from the first minute as you were thrown head first into this cat and mouse game that poor, unsuspecting Tae Sik (Sol Kyung Gu) was playing with the voice on the cell phone.

Then to find out that the entire thing was a set up to protect some dumb politician to prevent one man from testifying! The lengths that these people were willing to take: killing innocent people, kidnapping, and most of all framing the whole thing on Tae-Sik was amazing alone. The choreography of the fight and car chase scenes were pretty impressive. The movie moves along pretty quickly to make it a very tightly shot theatrical piece. And let's give a shout out to the police department featured! Smart, intelligent and thorough investigators! It was a nice depiction to see for once!

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