Reviews

Gaahh!! I loved this drama soooo much!! This is my second Taiwanese drama, first being Skip Beat. Skip Beat was my first ever Asian drama and I loved it! And if all Taiwanese dramas are like Skip Beat and In Time With You, with such amazing characters and stories, then I might just start watching them more often!

Story: I lloooovvvveeee best-friend romance stories!!! And this one was sssooo good! It was cute and funny but also serious at times. Plus it was very close to reality so it was relatable. The story didn't go boring for me at all, it was interesting and believable and all the plot twists were really good!

Characters: All the characters in this drama were very real. They were taken from real life. They were flawed characters who made mistakes. They were like normal people, like you and me. I felt this very strongly while watching this drama. How real the characters were. But that doesn't make them any less interesting.

This drama has some of my favorite characters. I'll start with the minor ones. I ADORE You Qing's family!! Especially her relationship with her mother (which is a lot like my relationship with my mom). It's just so cute and adorable! Her parents are the cutest thing ever! Her siblings are funny and VERY sibling-like. And I just really love the whole family!

I've only seen Ariel Lin once, in her MV for Fireflies with Siwon and Donghae (from Super Junior). I thought she was cute. She's really cute and pretty in this drama too. But she's also a very good actress! She did a great job playing You Qing. She brought the character to life. You Qing as a character was very real and relatable. I found her in myself a lot of times. She's headstrong and seems arrogant but has a good heart.

Li Da Ren!!! Oh I want a Li Da Ren too please!!! He's the perfect boy! The perfect best friend! And just... ugh! So cute!! I mean look at that nerdy smile and dimple!

He loves You Qing so much and is always there for her. He's a good son and a supportive big brother. And he's an amazing person overall. He's like the king of 'good boys'! :P I did get angry at him sometimes because I wanted him to tell You Qing already that he loved her. But I got his reasons too. Of why he didn't... so it's OK. I love him still. 'Cause he's just too adorable!!

The other characters were great too but none of them impacted me in a way that I would mention them here. Some were funny and all of them helped the story line. The 2 characters keeping our main characters away from each other, major one being Ding Li Wei, weren't all that bad. I mean, they were decent people. And like I said before, real people. It's just that they liked the wrong people. Maggie and Ding Li Wei could have been likable if they didn't come between our main couple. But that's what the writer's have shown. Because, in a way, it was because of these relationships that our main characters realized that they loved each other and that they were soul mates. (Cheesy much? :P)

Romance: The chemistry between You Qing and Da Ren was so amazing! From the beginning they were 'made for each other'. As I said before, I'm a HUGE 'best friend romance' fan! So I loved the romance in this drama! I don't know what else to say... I cannot get enough of this couple!

Overall: I would HIGHLY recommend this drama, especially if you like best friend romances! But if you're only looking for a funny and romantic drama then this would do the deal for you too. I, personally, loved this drama a lot! It definitely made it to my favorites list! Great acting, amazing story and all in all a wonderful drama!

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I really enjoyed this drama. The story is very fun and cute, if you want a quick lighthearted drama fix than this is for you! Its about a high school where there are 7 witches who can cast spells by kissing, and Yamada, a boy who can copy a witches power. Each episode (or there about) we find out about a new witch and her power.

The acting is typical Asian comedy acting, over the top but not bad. Yamamoto Yusuke is his same crazy self we know and love! I hadn't seen Nishiuchi Mariya in much else other than GTO, but she is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

I could defiantly watch this again. Who doesn't love a drama thats funny, over the top, cute and silly, yet still makes you feel alot of emotions!

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This is probably the very first drama that I gave perfect marks. Without reservation or hesitation. One Litre of Tears is worth every 10 in my review.

I love this story despite its disconsolate premise and tragic ending. Why? Because first, it makes you grateful in life, of the fact that your family is still with you despite the countless bills you have to pay, of the fact that you're alive and healthy despite the heartbreak you may have suffered or the job you lost just a week ago. It never fails to remind you to be thankful of the people you have in your life and those little things you may take for granted every day (like being able to walk, use your hands, or just simply being able to see the world), to be compassionate, and to be selfless to certain family members who need your time and love. Second, Aya's life story teaches you how to be strong and keep your faith in God. I cannot even imagine what I would do if I had been in Aya's shoes. Imagine, suffering from a ruthless disease without any hope of recovery? Agonizing. Yet, she managed to deal with this very hard blow at such a young age with the maturity of a person maybe twice her age. At 15, she had the whole world at her feet. And yet, she needed to handle this heavy burden. You may ask yourself, "how could this happen to her? why would God allow her to experience such suffering?" For me, it was because she was especially chosen for this mission: to uplift people who had lost hope or are about to lose hope. Losing hope is the most dangerous thing that can happen to anybody. Hopelessness prevents people from thinking that there is still an opportunity to change things and that problems are transient. It's a path to suicide. And it hurts not only yourself but also the people who care about you and those unfortunate enough to come across your way because it makes you numb to another person's pain.

Sawajiri Erika was wonderful, just wonderful. I'm sure her performance in this drama would've made the real Aya in heaven proud and happy. It was earnest as I had felt her struggles, her fears and her gratitude as if she was a close friend. I thought Ryo Nishikido was wooden at first. He didn't seem to express any feeling apart from anger and standoffishness. But later on, when he fell in love with Aya I could see him gradually open up after his brother's tragic death. It was difficult to 'get through' him because he had shut himself out. Not even his parents could understand him. But Aya broke down those walls. I'm grateful that Aya's real mother made the suggestion to the producers that Aya be given a fictional love interest like Haruto. It softened somewhat the impact of her suffering and death because she was given another person to support her and love her. The real Aya must have been really lonely.

Aya's family were wonderful as well. I especially loved the mother and younger sister. Honestly, I initially didn't like her sister because she was petty and mean but she proved me wrong. I loved that she was very protective of Aya whenever people made fun of the latter because she had begun to walk in a funny way as the disease progressed. Oh and the OST? Listening to 'Konayuki' all over again makes my eyes tear up.

There are instances when a drama loses its luster and charm after a lapse of time but you know what, the fact that I watched it more than a couple of years back is immaterial because I realized that the emotional impact and the lessons which this drama gave me remain. So what if it's a "sad" drama? Don't be put off by the nature of the story, it being a tearjerker and such, and that the ending (or every episode, depending on how sensitive you are as a viewer) will most likely make you weep and sniffle. But watch it because it's a story about strength, about hope, about keeping it together no matter what happens in life. Life, after all, is a battlefield. We need to pick ourselves up after every fall, every heartbreak and every failure. Aya was able to do it. So should we.

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Let's break this down by the numbers.

Story: 10. I'm sure I decided to watch this for the same reason most chose to watch this: Jang Geun Suk. But it's much more than just a pretty actor. The cinematography was breathtaking - it really felt as if I myself was being taken on a tour around Budapest, through Chan Kyn Sok's eyes. I was also fooled for a portion of the film, thinking one thing had happened, when by the end, it was (more or less) revealed what had actually happened. I liked how ambiguous the narration was, while also managing to be heartfelt. The idea of a bittersweet journey led by a diary left behind was original.

Acting/Cast: 9. Jang Geun Suk took on a monologic role and successfully kept my attention for the duration of the film, which is hard for monologues to do. I loved the range of expressions he showed. Apparently JGS also took part in its production. Talented guy.

Music: 9. The music was refreshing, and wonderfully portrayed the emotions the main character was feeling as he made his way through the places written in the diary.

Rewatch value: 7. It's an artistic movie built on emotions and the beauty of being in a new city. I would watch it again for inspiration or for comfort, but not because the film is thrilling or addicting in some way.

Overall: 9. Really enjoyed the film. It's something different than typical kdrama.

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So this drama started out being very promising, and I really anticipated what was going to happen next....
Unfortunately that didn't last long, about halfway into the drama it began to plummet downhill and lost everything that was good about it.

The story started out being about revenge and striving to become stronger; and the ending went into an entirely different direction and lost what had captivated me in the beginning.

For those of you who are into fairy tail-like happy endings, you also may want to skip this one, the ending wasn't exactly happy but it also wasn't sad either.

The acting wasn't horrible, but it wasn't amazing either....I just did not get that connection with the characters like I have had in other dramas.

Overall I just wasn't too thrilled about this drama, especially towards the end I could barely pull myself through it.

The only reason I watched it was because I was looking for a good historical and I saw someone wrote a good review for it, but I definitely do not feel the same way.

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AWESOME!just finished it.. it´s hard to write this review because i dont wanna write a spoiler. xD so i give you a small "information around this movie"

first i was thinking.. another lame movie "detective searching for the murderer", but it was in many ways so different. The Cartoon-concept was so refreshing and also the plot. -so creepy and shocking!

This movie have so many twists and that´s why it was never boring . If you think, it couldn't get worser.. than happens a new creepy scene. In some situations I was really scared and that rarely happens (I´m a addicted to horrormovies xD)

definitely a MUST-watch for horror fans.

try it you will not regret it :D I´m sure :)

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This movie develops really slowly, and there are flashbacks, so it might get a bit confusing. I even dropped the movie midway the first time I watched it. It doesn't get interesting until the second half, which made it more painful. As soon as you get past the beginning, I can promise, you won't want to stop. You'll want to see what will happen next, what he wants to do next, how the movie is going to end. It's a really emotional story, though it's a given since the main lead is sick. It's actually kind of cheesy, now that I'm re-watching the second half again. I didn't think it would be good, but now I really want to recommend this to people. It's a cheesy plotline, but I want more people to watch this and have some hope. It all started as a game... but certainly didn't end up with a winner or a loser.
Heads up, it will hurt, so bring out a box of tissues.

STORY: It's surprising. Like... the writers really can drag you all over the place. What you assumed, what you thought, they kind of become useless. I mean some things are given and I won't say what... but as I've mentioned, many flashbacks. They'll slowly unravel the story. Do not be fooled by the first half like I did. Although it's about a sick girl, there's almost nothing medical. It mainly revolved around this girl's first love experience. For me, even when there were times in the movie where I knew what was going to happen... I bawled like a baby. It was emotionally painful. There is a love triangle of sorts, and you have to factor in Shi's overprotective mother. Everyone wants the best for Shi. The writers also throw in sweet stories for Shi's mom and Xia's dad. Both really touching stories. At the end, it was kind of romantic, cheesy... but I came to love the entire thing at the last act in the film. There was a moment for all the confessions towards the end that wrapped up many loopholes, but at the VERY VERY end, there's one final twist that just messes with you entirely. I still can't get over it now. I won't say anything so you really have to watch it to the VERY END. You won't regret it, at least I hope you don't.

ACTING/CAST: I was doubtful of Angelababy's acting. I've only seen her in tabloids and all that, never really seen her act. But she acted out this role really nicely, in my opinion. Given the ending, she can act, in and out of the story line. Mark Chao.. never watched him either and I didn't quite like him in the story. In the beginning, I felt him out of place. But he was the main reason I continued watching, the moment the game was reversed, and the tides have changed. I guess the best scenes of him for me were the really emotional ones, the ones that make you all teary-eyed. I don't know how to explain but... most of the acting crew was amazing. No one was terribly bad that you have to cringe at their acting.

MUSIC: I don't like Mark Chao singing, if that's really him singing. But he sang a beautiful song with meaningful lyrics. It really goes with the movie. There were also beautiful instrumentals that I would like to get my hands on. It made everything so sweet and dreamlike.

RE-WATCH VALUE: Like I've said, it's a slow movie. I wouldn't re-watch this anytime soon. But if I was emotionally stronger, I'd probably re-watch the entire thing one more time... just to notice the details and go through the pain again. The ending... it still gets to me. Reading the ending credits, it was filmed based on the Korean movie, "...ing", so the ending is expected. Ahhhh, just watch it. You can find it on youtube!

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The Hong Sisters are very hit or miss for me. There have been some dramas I've loved, and some that I've completely hated. They tend to use the same structure and plot points, some that seriously annoy me. Although there were some parts where I wanted to skip, I enjoyed this drama.

Gong Hyo Jin and So Ji Sub have a chemistry that no one can deny. Even watching interviews, one can tell that through this drama, they have become close friends. Even though all of the characters were well developed and entertaining, this is what sold the drama for me. You wanted to see the two together and cheered for them.

Gong Hyo Jin is amazing, and So Ji Sub is just gorgeous. It helps that the drama had lots of eye candy as well a good story that kept me interested to the end.

It's well worth the watch.....

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This Drama was heavy, heavy, heavy. For a sageuk themed drama, with the glamour of a King and his followers... this had a fantastic story to tell.

Before checking this out, you, the viewer need the proper mindset before committing yourself into watching this drama (unless you are already into this kind of drama). Why? Because this is too far away from being romcom or light. There are witty scenes where you find the "funny" but not so much, because it would be obliterated in a second by the realism of the situation the characters are in. Watching this drama was heart racing, mind boggling and most of all tear jerking if you get to finish this in one go.

It was also frustrating being in the perspective of the king - because a person with so much wealth and power could be so helpless at the same time. *sigh*

My favorite character here was King Sejong - Han Seok Kyu's portrayal of him was so convincing that my heart was moved every time he does or say something. His decisions throughout the drama was really something, because it amounts to the lives that revolve around him, one mistake means the death of someone and one right thing could lead to the abundance of the entire nation. His role was really something and his acting was so deep into the character, I tend to forget that he was only acting about the agony of a king who cherished his people.

Then here comes the King's person: Kang Chae Yoon and So Yi.
These characters were portrayed by high fantastic artists - Jang Hyuk and Shin Se Kyung. Their roles were vital and important for the success of the king's plan and well... the ending was very dreary but there's that sense of fulfillment despite everything they have gone through. All in all their characters made this drama an unforgettable one.

The music isn't that catchy or is something that would stick to your head forever, but it does add to the drama. As for the re-watch value, I would not want to re-watch this lest I want to depress myself or stress myself all over again, but over all this drama is still dear to my heart. I loved this drama and would highly recommend it to those who love watching sageuks involving historical documentations.

Tree With Deep Roots - will move you, haunt you and make you change your outlook about your given language. Because this drama depicts history and the people who sacrificed a lot to make things possible.

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WARNING: This review contains a lot of spoilers. I have a lot of nagging to do regarding this drama and I really don't want to be vague about it. Might even have some cuss words.

Firstly I want to talk about this drama's plot. PLOT. I just started college a month back and according to my professor a PLOT is a series of cause and effect. A poor plot means a poor chain of cause and effect.
Well what I just watched ought to be the worst chain of cause and effect I ever watched! Seriously, who the hell came up with this plot? A woman gets ditched by her boyfriend and ends up taking dating counseling. Finds herself the cheesiest guy on this planet who is actually a total jerk. I mean, who the hell gives a woman a ring to have sex with her?? And when the first attempt fails he invites her to his place when his parents are on a holiday. And just when they return HE PRACTICALLY THROWS HER FROM THE BACKDOOR!! All this AFTER giving her a ring?

Of course that doesn't matter because the girl is already in love with her counselor who she's never even met and talks more to him than her boyfriend while on a date/vacation.

Don't even get me started on the counselor. Why the hell would someone put up with the girlfriend LIKE HIS?? I mean, even when he proposed putting his heart out there, she made him redo it just because it didn't match her STANDARDS! And bought her own ring freaking herself.

But of course he's fallen for the Octopus girl too, but just won't admit it. And finally, he mans up and leaves the selfish bitch and goes to the good girl and then WTF happens? Something that just makes a S**t plot S**ttier THAT'S WHAT.

And guess what - the main couple NEVER MEETS. That's right, they text and sometimes talk but they don't meet until the last 5 seconds of the show!

The plot just sucks! It makes me cringe with fury in the deepest fibers of my core (if that made sense).

Coming to the acting, Boa's first debut and I must say that acting-wise I wasn't disappointed at all. She really pulled it off and she was probably the reason I continued to watch. I hope she does more acting because I would really like to see her in dramas with good stories. Choi Daniel was his usual best. In fact, everyone justified their roles well. The music was pretty decent too. Chirpy and it went well with the whole theme of the drama.

I'm never rewatching this drama again. EVER. Period.

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