The basic story is about a college physics professor named Manabu Yukawa (Masaharu Fukuyama) who aides the police in solving crimes with supernatural or impossible implications using the science of physics. He's paired up with Kaoru Utsumi (Kou Shibasaki) and they work together to figure out the trick behind various cases that have baffled the police.
At first, it's a rocky relationship. Yukawa is only interested in cases for the physics aspect of it, which doesn't completely help out Utsumi because she's also looking for motive and probable cause. But soon it evolves into a great partnership where both get what they want from the case and we get to witness amazing physics in action. It's actually pretty impressive how much work the writers put into researching and creating these phenomenon, and then doing such a great job of explaining them to the viewers.
The acting is top-notch as well. Fukuyama and Shibasaki have great screen chemistry and you can tell that the two knew how to portray their characters well enough to act as polar opposites. Yukawa is this quiet, loner who is constantly lost in thought. He's charismatic and orderly. He reminds me of a less evil Sosuke Aizen. Meanwhile Utsumi is an ambitious detective looking to make an impact at her department and dole out justice. It's amazing how they're able to work together. They both look mature at times, and then both look childish at time as well. You have to credit the writers for creating such well-balanced characters.
This is the kind of show that one could watch on an annual basis. I've actually got my anime friends into drama because of this show. It's a great gateway show to other dramas out there. Since I've watched this series, I've been searching for shows who can rival its greatness, and thus far, I've found nothing. That's an attest to how great they made this show. This is by far the best mystery show that has ever been made in Japan, hands down!
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Reply 1994 was a long ride of nostalgia,laughs,and tears,I was instantly drawn to each characters stories and they way they interacted with each other in their small college boarding house. The characters all have nicknames that are easy to remember and impossible to forget once you've finished the drama. Go Ara really impressed me with this role she was Na-Jeong in and out and gave one of the most sincere performances of the year. Jung woo and Yoo Yeon Seok are the best male leads to be in a love triangle with both funny and Deliciously cute you'll find yourself rooting for both to get the girl at the end.
The music is beautiful and catchy, and most importantly appropriate to the decades quirky charms. I'm happy to say Reply 1994 is my favorite drama of 2013.
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The story flows exactly the same as the first season's. Manabu Yukawa, played by Masaharu Fukuyama, hears about a crime that recently happens and then proceeds to turn down the request for help until he hears the impossible feat it took to commit the crime. He then goes on his spiel about how "nothing is impossible" and thus begins his investigation. Then he does his famous bit of vandalizing the nearest surface with scientific formulas with whatever material he can use once he's solved the trick to perpetrating the crime. And it's always entertaining. You sit on the edge of your seat waiting for that moment to happen every episode!
But this season had a few differences. First the female lead in the first season, Kaoru Utsumi, played by Kou Shibasaki, was replaced. In comes a detective named Misa Kishitani, played by Yuriko Yoshitaka, a young brash female who follows her instincts and intuition and wants to pursue justice to the umpteenth degree. Not the first time we've seen this character in s detective show, but still could make things interesting.
The problem is that Kishitani provides little to nothing to the show other than occasional comic relief and lots of headaches in between. She really is essential in solving only ONE crime during the entire 11 episodes. While Yukawa and Utsumi had this great chemistry and work well in tandem, Kishitani and Yukawa are like skin and sandpaper. Her arguments with Kuribayashi aren't entertaining either. I found myself actively rooting for Yukawa to yell at her to 'shut up' numerous times during the show. She serves to hinder the show more than to help.
Besides that character fail, they do a great job at casting superstar talent to grace their show. Lots of top-notch actors and actresses play victims and perpetrators throughout the series. I marked out when I saw that the villain from Legal High made a guest appearance in the series. He was so entertaining.
Another BIG problem I have with this season is them spoiling the perpetrators early in episodes. I love the 'whodunnit' mentality of Japanese crime shows. And the fact that they show who commits each crime before the reveal sucks, but I still like how they don't spoil the method. A small consolation prize I suppose. I also hate that a few of the crimes were weren't as good as some other suggested ones that were never shown. Hell, in the last episode, after solving the crime, the prospective new one was more interesting than the one they just solved!
All in all, it was a great sequel to Galileo. It keeps the format and creates more interesting crimes to solve. Much more innovative crimes than what we see in most crime shows. But this season didn't quite capture the magic of the first season. Plus the two leads seriously lacked chemistry. Definitely a must watch for people who've watched and loved the first season. Even if you haven't, you should watch it. But for those who have seen the first Galileo, you'll find that this one isn't as great as the first one.
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Shining Inheritance
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While a good portion of President does revolve around politics and the campaigning process, much more can be seen than that. After all, this is the tale of deep and involving characters, each with their own fleshed out philosophies, backgrounds, and behaviors. These deal with and engage in various conflicts and intrigues, some scandalous, some campaign-crushing, others life-ruining. So what does such an atmosphere produce? High stakes conflict, with constant twists and turns. The viewer never knows what might come out of various happenings, even until the end. There were times I held my breath, totally drawn in, or even cried, having become so involved in this bitter battle.
Another strength rests in dialogue, a major point for scriptwriters. Much like in another surprisingly fetching drama (Empire of Gold), conversations are strong and memorable, if not as literary. Several speeches served up goose bumps, especially those delivered by Jang Il Joon (Choi Soo Jong).
Despite the deep praise I have for much of President, problems do exist in the narrative. There were times, if only on occasion, I found certain events unbelievable or a little “too much.” More serious might actually be the inclusion of Yoo Min Ki (Kim Jay), and the overall pacing of that character’s subplot. Two romances exist on top of this, yet only one works well; the other feels shoe-horned in to hook unsuspecting romance fans.
Acting! Why not start with the best? Jang Il Joon might be one of the most fascinating characters ever written for a drama, and Choi Soo Jong brings him to life with overflowing charisma. Is this a good man, a bad one, or a bit of both? This unforgettable portrayal deepens as our knowledge of Jang Il Joon does – and what an electrifying effect! His voice especially gave me the impression of a true leader; I could listen to this man speak all day, yet always be moved.
Other fine performances belong to Ha Hee Ra (as the deliciously complicated, unscrupulous Jo So Hee) and Kim Heung Soo (brilliant advisor Ki Soo Chan). The majority of Jang Il Joon’s competitors and campaign workers were great too, though particularly Hong Yo Seop (playing noble Kim Kyung Mo). I honestly wanted to give this section a perfect score, but unfortunately several young cast members prevented me. These include Kim Jay and Wang Ji Hye as the biggest offenders, but their scenes are mercifully short in comparison to the rest.
Two great vocals are provided by Super Junior (“Biting My Lips”) and 4MEN (“To Go and Die Alone”) respectively. This second touched me the most; its lyrics suit Jang Il Joon and his upward struggle to a magnificent degree. Otherwise, most incidental music worked fine or was at least unobtrusive, though both the “love ballad” and campaigning tracks were not to my taste.
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First off I feel like Kim Woobin's character didn't even get a chance there is hardly any love triangle going on its just Park Shin Hye moving all over the place. I feel like Krystal and Minhyuk love story was cute but they weren't really needed in the cast and Krystal just became PSH friend out of no where. That Rachel girl wasn't needed either she didn't create any drama she was just there. PSH was crying in almost every scene and it was worst than Jandi in BOF.
Anyways the drama was the worst I watched so far even though I loved the cast
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As much as it was a very sad story, there was a balance of comedy in it to put a smile on your face at times from her father. The music was very well done, I don't think they could have done better than what they did in this drama.
I really needed to watch something to help soften my heart and this drama did just the trick to soften a bitter and jaded heart. I honestly believe this drama would soften the most cold hearted, hard heart out there.
It was a real masterpiece of a drama, if I could give a higher than 10 rating, it would get it astoundingly. A must watch for sure...
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If all of the above sounds like the recipe for a drama befitting to your tastes, then go ahead, click "add" and set it to "currently watching". I will claim no responsibility in the time it will rob from the next 3-4 days of your life. However, you will thank me.
This melodrama, no no, melo- makes it sound too laid back. This MEGAdrama will hold you. Yea, sure, it has the typical Chaebol-poor girl theme. And I must admit, I found Lee Duk Hwa playing the Chaebol dad quite hilarious when I first accepted that was his role in this show. However, as much as it is typical, it is different. There's so much that is unexpected in the story that you can't help but be a prisoner to it; NEEDING to know what will happen next at the end of every episode. Knowing you have all the episodes right in front of you and trying to show restraint. Say goodbye to those 3-4 days. Apologize to your employer and friends ahead of time.
The story is non-stop drama. Even when it's moving slow, it's moving slow dramatically. In the beginning, you'll be angry. You'll want to drop it at least 5 times. You'll hope and be let down repeatedly. But at some point, all your angst will be rewarded. Trust me, it will. Remember this... it will. The elation you will feel when that point comes will be unmatched. Hang in there.
Bae Su Bin was good in his role, while Lee Da Hee fell flat, in my opinion. The two that make this story riveting are Ji Sung, and especially Hwang Jung Eum. They made it feel real and overwhelming, as if it was truly happening to someone somewhere. Very well matched actors for the main roles, indeed.
I believe this has been the first drama that I ended feeling satisfied. I certainly wouldn't have ever thought that could happen when I started it, but it surprised me along the ride in a way that sets it apart from other dramas. Get your tissues ready, clear out your schedule, and remember... your angst WILL be rewarded.
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Story-The story is a dark melodrama about when passion spins out of control. It discusses adultery, unrequited love, and (what I would call) abuse. You already know from the very beginning that things will go really wrong with the affair(s). The plot moves from the past to the present which what makes this show exciting.
Acting- I feel that Lee Dong Wook's best role is here. I know a lot of people who have enjoyed My Girl and say that was his best role, but I disagree. I believe his best role was in Bittersweet Life. In this role, he went from adorable and happy, to scary and creepy like that. That made the show even more enjoyable because you would not know how he would react next.
Park Si Yeon did a great job at being a mistress that you don't want to have around. In this drama, her character comes off as money obsessed and annoying. It isn't a great combo, but still I don't think it was her fault for coming off that way. I just think that was the writer trying to make her as dislikable as possible....which honestly isn't hard.
Jung Bo Suk (aka the husband)- succeeds in being a man you love to hate. His character is a control freak who doesn't really care about anybody. He did a great job at making people want to punch the screen.
Oh Yun Soo- Wow. Just wow. She was great! I don't know if it was the writers doing or her own doing, but I felt the character's resentment in a way I can't describe.
Music- The music was wonderful. It was exciting and thrilling and fit well with every scene.
Overall- I highly recommend! Definitely not a drama for kids though.
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There is 0 romance in this drama. So if you're at the moment looking for romance, I suggest you look elsewhere because this drama doesn't have that ok. Ok?
Now, the second thing you should know is that I actually surprisingly did not go into this drama as a fan of Lee Jun Ki. I know shocking. So everything that I say here is not me being biased it is me being pleasantly surprised.
Ok, now to the review:
The story- the story was like a roller coaster ride. You never knew what would happen next. You were kept on the edge of your seat till the very end. Even when it seemed like everything was ok, you would still wonder if someone was going to pop out of nowhere and ruin everything.
The Acting- Perfect. As I said above, I did not go into this drama as a fan of Lee Jun Ki, but I sure did come out as a fan. The emotions in the drama felt raw and real. Every cast member played their role perfectly and when I say perfectly, I mean as though the character felt real.
Even with the villains, there were times when I could understand why they did what they did which is unusual for a Korean drama. Usually you hate the villains, but for some reason, there where a few evil characters which I just couldn't get myself to hate. Such as "Glue Stick" who you will find out about later..
Music- The music just fit with the drama. It matched well with all the action scenes and the adorable scenes with his daughter.
Re-watch-Would I re-watch this drama? I think that I would maybe later. It's hard to forget this drama so I would wait a little while.
Overall- I found this drama quite enjoyable. I would recommend this drama to anyone who likes suspense, thrillers filled with action or if your a fan of Lee Jun Ki.
I'm not saying this drama is for everyone but I would say if you liked "City Hunter" or "The time between dog and wolf". I would say watch this drama! You will enjoy it!!
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As for YAB, I think this drama is seriously over rated sometimes, and I think it is because of the cast. (I am not complaining actors, I like them too, but I think this wasn't their best work.)
Firstly, speaking of the plot, I found it good. The story was good, and I liked how it was told. Nothing seemed bad, everything develops naturally in the script. Anyway, maybe because of this 'everyday life' plot, some episodes are boring, because you feel like nothing happens. This is not a big problem anyway, every drama has the 'bad' episodes.
The characters were nice and they had their own personalities. Anyway, I felt like sometimes the 'side' characters were better than the main ones. It is something that makes me think about the acting.
So, about the casting, I liked every actor/actress, but in fact, I felt like the main actors were lacking, I don't know why.
I mean, sometimes it seems like YongHwa is not that 'sure' about what he has to do, I felt like he was unconfortable with Shin Hye and the same with her. I am not sure if it was something in the script, but actually I couldn't feel the chemistry between them at all.
I like Yonghwa and Shinhye, but I cannot say this is their best work. Speaking in terms of personal taste, I don't like Shin Hye in this kind of 'only romantic' roles, she is not that good in making the girly-and-always-thinking-of-him girl, so this is a 'bad' point I found.
About the music, the OST was good. I also have some songs on my phone, and I am happy I was able to discover something about CNBlue, as their first album with english version of the HeartStrings songs.
Overall, I think is a good drama, but ABSOLUTELY not the best or one of the best I have ever seen.
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The show demonstrates that there is a much larger gray area than black or white. Take the main and titular character, Keita Kurokouchi. He acts more as an antihero than a true good guy. He straddles the line between what's deemed right and wrong, and still finds a way to look like a hero while doing it. His ultimate goal is to solve the unsolved case of a robbery of 300 million yen that happened almost 45 before the start of the story. His motivations aren't completely explained, but you can that it's something that he's completely dedicated to once you have a look at his apartment.
The thing I found most entertaining was how well the story progressed. It's full of surprises. Murder, betrayal, and conspiracies are the lifeblood of this show, and it delivers plenty that will keep on your toes and constantly thinking, trying to figure out who truly has the advantage in the game of chess between Kurokouchi and his adversaries. The ending is one that completely fits the scope of the show, and was something that almost makes you laugh at the end after seeing the final climax.
The cast was great as well. They pulled an all star cast that each played their roles to perfection. Nagase does such a great job as Kurokouchi, from his yakuza-like speech to his over-the-top mannerisms and catch phrases. He'll even throw in a rap verse or two. Gouriki was a great 'straight-man' as Seike. She was very much by the book and the typical straight-laced cop, until the things Kurokouchi began saying turned out to be true. That's when you see her character start to blossom as she gets down to solving her own personal mystery and how it relates to the 300 million yen heist. They both work great in tandem to deliver a funny experience while still maintaining a great level of suspense and action.
This is a show that you can't regularly rewatch because of how high-impact the suspense and surprises are. They're best saved for once you've forgotten much of the story, otherwise they lose their pop. But the funny moments of the show are watchable over and over again. I fount myself going back and rewatching parts because of how funny they were. And this isn't even a comedy based show!
Overall, I found this show probably the most enjoyable crime show since I watched the first season of Galileo a couple years ago. This didn't have as many creative crimes as much of the Japanese crime shows do, but it had the suspense and edge of your seat thrills to really push this show ahead of many others. A definite must watch if you want a good ride.
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Coming to the characters. I loved them all! They were amazing together but even individually all the characters were so lovable in their own different ways. Kai was my favorite. I've always loved the name "Kai" ever since I read The Snow Queen. But the Kai here is just awesome. He's such a caring and sweet person. You know, the kind of people who just attract you with their personality and you can't help loving them and it's all about the substance, not the looks. Not that Kai wasn't good looking. I mean, he was hot, working those spikes like no other man on this planet (lol)! I loved Sae too. I could go on staring at her all day long while she talks in sign language. Ok, that came out a little wrong. I'm just saying that I'm really intrigued by the sign language. I feel like learning it now! Her character was awesome. So strong, despite feeling the blues of her situation at times. She was pretty funny too.
The music was great for this show and the re-watch value is super-high for me. Total ten. This drama is beautiful and addictive and I think most people would love it and should give it a try.
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The cast was definitely a highlight. This show surprisingly got me into Furukawa Yuki (He is so adorable!) though his character in the show could have been written better instead of coming across as just another plot device. He and Kawaguchi Haruna had great chemistry and i am definitely looking forward to seeing them in future dramas (hopefully together?).
The rest of the characters were just as easily likable (especially Mugi!) and i enjoyed seeing them develop with each episode.
Unfortunately, (in my opinion) the story was poorly written. It seemed hastily pasted, attempting to come off more poignant then it really was.
Despite this, i would still recommend this to anybody looking for a short, easy watch. Obviously since i watched to the end, i liked it enough, but probably not enough for a re-watch. :)
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