Reviews

I started this drama without reading any of its reviews, since I noticed there was big fuss in the mismatch of its regarding opinions, so I wanted a clear head in order to make my own.

The story is very complex; it's a lovely, bittersweet, bloody tale that makes you experience wide range of emotions during it's progress (I went from being downright furious at one character's behaviour to loving him)! As such, it will not be very easy to watch, and at times, it'll maybe make you question watching the rest, but I would recommend holding on, because this is a drama that everyone should see.

Actors are great, I like the supporting cast, the main villan is a well-written character (for a change) and even Lee Yong Suk, whom I have never seen in a drama before, has done a pretty damn good job and his acting is very believable. Loved Yoon Sang Hyun in this one, partly because of his wonderful character, but even more so for the life he gave to him.

I like the main OST, it fits the drama well, and the overall music was not that bothersome, not even in saddest scenes.

Also, this is one of the rare dramas I would recommend watching again, because there is much to be reminded of when seeing it; this special set of humane values that we may often misplace when throwing a fit in anger or being disheartened by daily happenings.

I think the biggest proof of a good drama or simply, a well-executed story, is when it just makes you feel so much; regardless of it being bit too long, having a few fillers (1-2 episodes), or giving a somewhat naive plot (there were plot holes which did NOT have justification)...But, the overall carried me into this world that I am glad I've met, and though there is a significent age difference between Lee Boo Young and Lee Yong Suk, hell, I didn't even care. This just serves as an example that some other dramas and movies with this kind of couple could've done a lot better.

Recommended.

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The story was just ok. I couldn't stand most of the characters. They are pretty shallow for the most part. I like my characters to have some depth to them.
The acting was good for the characters they were given. I really enjoyed the music. I probably won't be watching this again anytime soon. Overall it was just OK. There wasn't anything ground breaking and there were just so many cliches in this drama that it almost made me sick. I don't know after I watch a movie/drama I want to be able to take something from it. I literally took nothing away from this. I didn't really ship anyone together in this drama just because all of the relationship are so unstable that it was hard for me to really want two characters together. Well these are my thoughts.

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Discussing tone in the context of a review is tricky. A show’s atmosphere is something so ephemeral it’s hard to even define, much less evaluate. That being said, The Return of Iljimae is most remarkable for its evocation of mood. A fantasia in a minor key, it weaves a bittersweet, melancholy spell, accented not so much by its characters’ tragedies as by their loneliness.

Intentionally structured like a storybook (complete with an initially over-intrusive narrator), the show jettisons many of k-drama’s structural clichés as it follows the growth of its protagonist from innocent young man to wiser hero. Jung Il Woo gives a lovely (in more ways than one) restrained performance full of moments of quiet sweetness and pathos. Jung Hye Young, as his mother, is also exceptional, radiating warmth and longing. There are plenty of fight scenes and large helpings of occasionally distracting slapstick comedy, but the show never loses its contemplative feel. The characters find fleeting moments of connection in sex, friendship, compassion, and sacrifice but the world’s injustices are always there, calling them away from comfort. The show suggests that heroism is not a natural gift, but something learned and struggled for and easily lost if the passion for justice tips over into hatred. There are occasional missteps, including a bizarre first episode, but once the show finds its rhythm, it becomes a hero’s journey very much worth the taking.

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I actually decided to watch this drama because of Nakayama Yuma, since I've only seen him in Koishite Akuma (and that when it came out, in 2009), but he had caught my eye. Overall, Piece was an interesting drama, which had both good and bad points.

Story: I just loved the plot. It was really interesting, since it wasn't all about love and romance but mainly because of the mystery around the actions of a certain classmate. It's one of those stories, where you can't be sure you have figured it out (and you probably haven't, and you'll find out the truth only in the end). Plus, it's not all about the main couple. Personally, I love romantic stories, and I would like a better ending for these two, but, oh well, it wasn't bad. Not lovey dovey but not bad or sad either.

+ point: the flashbacks. I love stories with flashbacks. A few short flashbacks are nice and interesting.

Acting: As I've already said, I watched the drama because of Nakayama Yuma and he was the only one I knew from the cast. Now, he was good, he portrayed his character really well and has definitely improved. As for the rest of the cast, they weren't bad, but there were scenes where you could see that most of them need some improvement. But they are all really young. :)

Music: I really liked it!! Really, really nice!
The opening song, by Nakayama Yuma is that typical j-pop song, probably most j-pop fans will like it. I personally listen to it all the time since I started watching the drama. Same goes for the song Parade by Matchbox Twenty, really really good choice as well.

Rewatch Value: I would probably rewatch the drama. It's a good teen drama. Of cource it won't be that interesting the second time, since we know what happens in the end, but personally I'd like to watch the main "couple" again. ^_^ I also liked the fact that the episodes are really short, so you don't get tired that easily.

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I have mixed feelings about _Miss Korea_. In a way I like it because there isn’t an over-the-top predicament, which a villain, whose malice defies description, creates for the character whose naive goodness makes him more a victim than a hero. And yet this very lack of an impossibly bad villain makes _Miss Korea_ a real oddity: a drama-less drama.

There are a number of candidates for the impossibly bad villain from a mid-level gangster boss to the successful-business-guy and rival lover of the heroine to the greedy, ambitious rival company manager to the rival beauty salon owner to the despicable department store manager of the “elevator girls.” Incredibly, every one of these candidates, with the exception one, turns over a new leaf and becomes a likable and sympathetic character. (At the end, even the potential villain, who holds out in turning over a new leaf, concedes victory to the hero.) Moreover, the bid to become Miss Korea, which is one of the two conflicts upon which the drama revolves, is decided around episode 15 of a 20 episode series.

At this point, the drama hangs on the question of whether the hero’s cosmetic company will survive and prosper. Alas, what with all but one of the potential villains having become the hero’s and heroine’s allies, by this point, it seems inevitable that the company will survive and most likely prosper. Whatever must-see value the drama then has is diverted to a side story which involves the possible romance between the reformed gangster boss with an elementary school education and the Ph. D. chemist who works for the hero’s cosmetic company. Though the side story is sweet, it’s not enough to fill in the vacuum left by the premature resolution of the Miss Korea contest and the inevitable financial success of Vivi Cosmetics.

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Boys over flowers is like the "must see" in k drama world. This is probably the most famous k drama ever, and the first k drama for a lot of people, and that's why we -somehow- love this drama although it isn't actually a good one.

The story is just a big WTF! to me, really... and it doesn't always make sense. But incredibly it is still a catchy story lol, this is what BOF is, it somehow hooks you up, but deep inside of you, you know that what you're watching is not good at all.

The acting is just BLEH! although I love Lee Min Ho and now is one of my favorite actors, in BOF he wasn't as good as he is now... it wasn't a terrible acting but it wasn't a good one either... Same for Koo Hye Sun, she's good at dramatic scenes and crying and suffering but she lacks emotion in other scenes like kisses or funny moments and etc...

F4: oh boy! the eyecandy in this story has a 10/10 these four Asian boys doing whatever they want with your feelings and looking hot while they're destroying your heart haha it's just asdfghjk...

And probably what makes this drama a "must see" and a famous one is Yoon Ji Hoo (Kim Hyun Joong) BOF probably has the worst and saddest second lead syndrome ever! REALLY... even if you don't ship JanDi with JiHoo the drama still makes you feel terribly sad about JiHoo's life (a terrible and lonely one) omg! my heart still aches when I remember...

Despite of all that BOF is a very rewatchable story... if you want to cheer up, or cry like crazy or just remember or see hot Asian boys gathered in one drama, just go to BOF. :)

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I'm a firm believer in the fact that if you expect too much you can easily be disappointed. So in this light, I write this review... Please finish reading so you don't get the wrong idea.

The beginning of the first episode was a little sloppy and the characters were not at all endearing or interesting so I actually stopped watching this a long time ago then recently gave it another chance. I'm glad I did. Just push through... the story is worth it.

As many others have written... The child and teen actors REALLY nailed it! The casting for the most important adult roles was quite disappointing with the exception of Kim Min-Seo and Yoon Seung-Ah. I also felt that the chemistry that was SO present in the teen characters was lacking in the adults. Try not to be too disappointed. I wish they could have just tried to age the teens as they were amazing. I feel that Yoon Seung-Ah would have been a better choice for the adult female lead and Lee Min Ho would have ROCKED as the adult male lead. Their looks are also closer to the teen leads.

So all in all great story but because of the lack of careful casting I felt that this drama could have been better. This is the MAIN reason for the lower score. The soundtrack was also not as good as most dramas I have seen. Not HORRIBLE, just lacking passion.

I would definitely consider it better than most, but SHOULD have been GREAT. Keeping my first sentence in mind ... hopefully you'll enjoy!

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So this was hard to finish last year, but I got it done now. There really is not much to say just that the plot was not typical by a long shot. It was simply and yet twisted in how so many people where connected to the real problem. Too many cover-up stories to hind the truth, yet it just could not be contained. Actors: They were not bad, and at the same time not great. It was like something was missing that could not be explained. Music: Actually the music may have saved this drama to keep it true to its ploy and theme. Apart from the actors, it was the music that helped express each new big reveal. So overall, not bad, but not great, yet still watchable for a drama genre and pace.

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A friend recommending this drama is why I watched it. So straight to the point, It was funny, saddening and bewildering how cruel a person could be to gain what is not meant for them. I'm not a very political individual, but the ministers definitely had death away thing them. When the king would say enough is enough, and he will not let it slide. The only tragic aspect in the show was the replacement queen, she was a politic tool for her own flesh and blood. But once her usefulness was lost, she was tossed aside. I guess that how it was for that era, where riches and fame are only gained from associating with the royal family.

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This is a typical Korean Melodrama which means that a family wealth is at stake, and that there are characters willing to do impossibly evil things to attain that wealth. And then there are the victims of whom the main one, Han Yoo-jung, suffers so much that I think the writers themselves had a hard time trying to resolve the situation. It's the reason the comic relief provided by the romances of Moo-yeol's aunt and mother with their respective beaus works out well; it balances the pain and misery felt by Yoo-jung.

As melodramas go, _Passionate Love_is actually brief at 47 episodes. If you can tolerate the usual, well intended stupid things the heroes will do and the usual, unbelievable, underhanded evil the villains will get away with, you'll like the drama despite the hurried ending, which wrapped things up a little too neatly. In fact, I felt that the shortened ending was actually good for the drama. The thought of Han Yoo-jung stewing in her hate and wallowing in her pain and misery because she is too good to take justice into her own hands was just too much to take.

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This drama has brought back the hope I lost after watch lu zheng seriously why do you love that drama. Anyway this one had politics,scheming,love and most importantly a dark but sweat prince. It was well planned,the shemes fell right into place. The palace was like a battlefield. The empress was too scary that, spoiler alert the emperor brought another concubine just to deal with the empress and fight with her. This was one of the most disfunctional families in that the emperor is was ashamed to grab his sons woman. Things just kept on exploding. If you watch revenge. It was like having two Victorias in this drama. Lol I loved it and it was almost superb

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I watched Protect the Boss because I wanted to see Jae Joong act. After thirty minutes in, initially, I stopped watching. The two main characters seemed too old for my taste. However, after watching other shows, I decided I wanted a romantic comedy that was actually funny and remembered that Ji Sung's facial expressions looked like there was potential. Thus, I revisited this drama and grew addicted to it.

The show doesn't get interesting until the second episode. Once you get to the second episode, you get addicted to it, and can't stop laughing because the events happen one after another. There's a lot of watch-rewind-watch again moments. The first half of the drama is brilliant and for me is a perfect ten, which is hard for me to give because I'm so picky. The unexpectedness of how the show plays out and their reactions to one another make the show a thrill to watch. Sadly, however, like many dramas, it begins to slow down in the middle, around episode 11. It's not to the point of extreme boredom, and there are still some funny and cute parts, but not one after another like the beginning. That's why I gave the story a 7.

The acting and cast I'd give a 10. This is for the most part because of Ji Sung. Despite having watched this drama for Jae Joong's good looks, I quickly became a fan of Ji Sung's cute/funny/unexpected/diverse acting skills. You'd never believe he's 37. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find anymore comedies with him. Why does he have to play serious roles? :( Anyways, though I did like the main girl, this is the first time I've ever preferred the second female lead over the first. It's not that I wanted her to get the guys, I just found her much more entertaining. Who knew a girl could be pretty and funny? I want to watch Bachelor's Vegetable Store now after watching this. Jae Joong wasn't a bad actor in my opinion, just not as entertaining. I found their parents very entertaining to my surprise. I love how they all seem so childish, but have normal emotions too like real people, not the typical romcom rich parents.

The music wasn't bad but at the same time, it wasn't outstanding for me. Jae Joong sings the main OST though, so if you're his fan, you'll probably really like it.

I gave this a rewatch value of 6 because I'd rewatch the beginning but not the whole thing.

Overall, I'd give this show an 8, because, while, the beginning was a perfect 10 for me, it slowed down near the middle, which is a significantly large portion of a show for me, and because it didn't have that wow moment for me. I'd recommend this show to anymore who wants to watch something that's truly funny and surprising, but doesn't really need something deeper.

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As alien dramas go, this was well done. I can say that there was never a point where I felt that part of the story was goofy at all, which is extremely surprising. I had watched the J-drama "Starman" last year and had completely written this off as anything I would waste my time on because of that particular drama. However, a friend convinced me to try this out despite my skepticism.

As far as quality, the special effects lent heavily to the lack of 'goofy-ness' one might expect with this type of storyline. I was thoroughly impressed from the first episode with the high quality of effects for a television production. It helps that Kim Soo Hyun was perfectly cast for this role. He made it all seem believable.

My final thoughts after it was over was that it was entertaining. As it got closer to the end, I didn't really care as to who was able to be with who. Who stayed, who left. I would have been content with any outcome. It was the beginning with the historical part that captured me and held me with the show. Now, THAT was so well done that I started watching historical dramas. Once that part was over, though, I was just watching it to see what happened. If there was anything that brought me joy, it was being done with the Cheon Sung Yi character. Don't get me wrong, I think the actor did a good job of portraying the character, it's just the character I don't care for.

For what it was, it was good and I recommend anyone interested in a mix of romance sans crazy Chaebol Mother, and the paranormal, should give it a try.

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