What bothers me the most is that this has the ingredients to be a very good story. It's an arranged marriage in which both parts are taking something out of the situation, in which both parties come from very different backgrounds and have different priorities: Chiwa is a hardworking young girl who has to work two jobs to make ends meet while paying for her (terrible) father's gambling debts; Hokuto is a hardworking man with a very overwhelming family, who wants to succeed in business to uncover a family secret related to his past and take revenge. The premise is good.
Now, if we add to that every cliche from Josei manga you can possibly think of, that's when things go south. Hokuto is that kind of male lead who is downright a jerk and whose backstory is supposed to make you feel for him enough to forgive him for being a possessive toxic jerk. It doesn't work for me. Chiwa is a very interesting character in premise but the moment she starts getting ~feelings~ for Hokuto, we lose her. We have, however, a couple snippets of the Chiwa who should be, I can count at least 3 times in which she read Hokuto and his family for filth, and that is the direction I wish this would have taken. Furthermore, she has, like I said, a father who is constantly getting in debts and disregards her well-being, but instead of it being taken seriously, the comic relief they (think) they're turning him into transforms Chiwa's struggle into something less important.
To that dynamic, add every other thing you can fit in 12 episodes: love triangles (plural), betrayals, paparazzi drama, multiple near death experiences for various people, grudges with daddy, slut shaming, women hating other women on principle, weird family connections pulled in the last minute and making no sense, you name it, it's all there.
I can't help but compare this with Please Love The Useless Me because a) they're both based on Josei manga b) they both came out this year c) they both have the "cold male lead/cute female lead" premise d) they both have Dean Fujioka. And, in the comparison, Please Love The Useless Me wins by a landslide. The premise of that drama was much less interesting than this one, but the character development was good and it didn't retort to the same cliches to fill the story (no girls hating girls, no slut shaming, no evil ex-girlfriend with machiavellian plans).
If you don't like the same old josei premise as per usual, you don't like the male lead treating the female lead in a questionable manner, you don't like a plot that has everything but the kitchen sink and you constantly question yourself why the girl is doing this to herself, this is not the drama for you.
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Overall, if you've read the manga the story follows the most superficial part of it. Hokuto and Chiwa get into a contract relationship and live as a couple so you see their difficulties as they try to get by day after day. But if you've read the manga, you know this is not the only main story. Besides the R-Rated scenes that it contains (that of course they'd never do in a drama), there is also a story of revenge from Hokuto's part that here was put aside and they only showed a part of it and resolved it quickly. It was as if he was never fully convinced of what he was doing or perhaps it was the actor who didn't fully convince me as Hokuto. So while I appreciate they did some changes to fit the story into a drama line, I think they should have dug deeper and shown more character development. Hokuto should have issues, look complex. Here he looked like he had layers to his personality, but most of the time I couldn't see them, it was as if the actor who played him was static. Now I don't know his other works, but here he didn't make me feel a lot for his character because he seemed superficial and not mysterious like the manga!Hokuto. The same happened with Chiwa's character, but less. She was more like her manga counterpart, even if at times shallow. In general, if you're looking for a romantic story with not much drama to it but never read the manga, go for it. But don't expect a super masterpiece, just an enjoyable series with some over the top moments that honestly could have been avoided.
The music is pretty cool though.
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I watched this series prior to reading the book (which I only decided to read after so many people claimed how much better the manga was…) Because I was not married to the book before watching the show-- unlike many others, I was able to appreciate and enjoy the six-hour TV series for what it is. This is a sweet adaptation given its limited budget-- 12 episodes (each 30 minutes) "inspired" by the original 40-chapter manga. (I found this is a much closer and sweeter adaptation compared to some other "adaptations" I've seen where the TV shows butcher the original story.)
COMPARING TV vs ORIGINAL MANGA
Firstly, the FL is always crying in the manga. She might have had a better office job in the manga, but I found her character weaker and very annoying, in general. In the book, the ML is royally handicapped when expressing his affection-- except when sleeping with his wife. In contrast, both leads are more responsive and communicative in the TV show.
Their feelings and frustrations are all bottled up for 66% of the manga. She gets upset with him, throws tantrums, locks herself up in their bedroom for over half the manga… She is capable of fully discussing feelings with her friends and office mates, but unwilling to communicate/work and hash matters out with her husband in the book.
We already know that ML is emotionally challenged…
Mind you that ML is a senior executive putting intense hours in a highly politically charged environment for him to be trying to second guess FL's annoying and repetitive lower-school mood swings and silence… I find that their character development is better in the TV show and as couple they grow to have better quality time together. Plus, Dean Fujioka and Seino Nana make a nice couple. In fact, I hope Dean gets to lead many more rom-com's.
Yes, the drama changes the details of the plot and the personalities/story of the secondary characters. However, the gist of the love story and plot is there and I care significantly more about the protagonists' story.
The 6-hour TV show is sweet and to the point (compared to the 40-chapter manga, which I found draggy). Sorry to those who started watching this expecting the same storyline and could not enjoy the show. I do wish this series had more episodes…
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One of the bigger issues i had with this drama was how they interpreted the main character hokuto and chiwa.
Hokuto in the manga came off as a very stand offish character. Very cold and very self centred. From the very beginning of the series his main goal was to be the head of the mamiya company which has been in his family for generations. In the manga he did not have any friends or family he felt he could rely on. In his world he was virtually alone and that was the way he wanted it.
One of the issues i had with chiwa was in the manga she did start out as a semi damsel in distress. However she never once stopped and whined and complained about her situation or her family's situation. She was always strong willed and a pillar of support for hokuto even when he didn't know he needed it. They were always helping each other out in ways they didn't even think were possible.
One of the other bigger changes they made was in the manga Chiwa was actually an employee of the mamiya company although they never really specified what that was but that was one of the things that got the manga off to such a good start in my opinion. That was where you really saw them start to grow and develop a relationship with one another, however rocky that relationship was.
The original story line in the book wasn't one of the most original piece's i have ever read but it defiantly was one of the most entertaining. There was romance, suspense, twists, comedy and so much more. A lot that the live action was missing. The book was so intense in some parts like wow did they really just do that. Or you would think wow did he just really say that about that person etc. I honestly feel like this is one of those dramas you watch because you either have nothing to do or just simply want to watch something simple and cliche. But hey again this is all just my opinion. I do recommend though reading the manga if you haven't already and see if you agree with the changes they made and what this drama was seriously lacking.
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PROS:
- Decent chemistry between the main couple ~ it’s definitely not there from the beginning though over time they do begin to look cute together
- Hot male lead ~ Dean really sells this drama for me, even though his character is kind of stiff, he makes this drama worth a watch for sure
- Second lead syndrome ~ the second lead was so cute! but I’d still pick Dean
- Secretary ~ this lady was my favorite character! I’m not sure why the female lead was against the secretary so much but I was thankful for her existence. She really kept the male lead on track and made sure the bad people were dealt with the proper way. She played more of a mom role in the male leads life.
CONS:
- The Female lead ~ so I’m not sure if it was the actress or the character or both, but literally her scenes were just annoying to watch. The girl felt uncomfortable and made the strangest facial expressions.
Overall, the drama is worth a quick watch! It’s a cute story.
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Had potential. Could have done better
Warning: Potential spoilers.I have not read the manga. I have also never watched a j-drama that's an adaptation of a manga. I actually picked this up after watching a few k-dramas, which I have more experience with.
Story
I was intrigued by the plot, even though it gives away what happens. However, I am evaluating this as a standalone drama and overall, I found the story pacing to be very condensed. While individual episodes seemed long, a lot happens in those 30 minutes. In the beginning we get to know each character well, and why the marriage needs to happen. But in the remaining two-thirds of the show, the couple's relationship is pretty much solidified and focuses more on external issues. It felt like the relationship issues were resolved too quickly. Also, it's easy to see how the pacing is divided, and how conflicts (while they do overlap) increase in order of importance: the marriage, to social circles, then family. I did not like how the ending was handled, because there was too much information at the very end. Unbelievable - withholding such information, only for the drama to finish and leaving the audience unsatisfied. As a viewer, I felt like I held my breath for too long and the ending was not worth the wait. More could be done, pacing could be changed.
Acting
I wanted to keep rooting for the main girl. It was fun to watch in the beginning because she grew and had a lot on her plate. But later on, it was less growing and more adapting. As she got more involved with the husband's side of things, she had less autonomy and therefore became less interesting to observe. As for the main guy, he's so stiff that even when he tries to be affectionate, it seems fake or forced. Despite his humble past, all I could see was a traditional Japanese man who expects his wife to attend to him, their home, and nothing else. You can see it in the sets too: husband is mostly seen at at work/at the office, and wife is also at work and other places, but often seen waiting for the husband at home.
Now my major issue with this drama is this: when exactly did the main characters fall in love? They seemed to understand and empathize with each other's circumstances, but it wasn't until near the end of the drama was I convinced that there was real love in this marriage. The main girl often complained, her dreams of her ideal marriage shattered. They do couple things but it looks forced. I don't know if it's the acting or how the characters are written or it's the culture, I'm just not convinced. I could see them as life partners but not necessarily a loving couple (with the exception of a few scenes but like I said, they felt forced).
Music
The theme song gets stuck in my music the moment I hear it start. Perhaps the remaining music did fit well, but not as memorable because I don't remember anything else.
Overall, this drama felt very story-driven and even then, it could have been done better. Events seemed to happen too fast, and the flow of time was not very clear. Character development was good but the relationship building needed work. If anything, the first half was more enjoyable than the second half. I wish I dropped this when I could but I wanted to see it through to the end and I kind of regret it.
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Watch it and rate it for yourself
So I want to make this a shorter review to avoid spoiling too much.Honestly I think I've gotten this recommended to me many times, way before I started watching it. There are a lot of mixed reviews on this drama. A lot of them bad and some also good. I finally decided to check this drama out for myself and then decide if I enjoyed it or not. To be honest I wasn't expecting much, because of the reviews. This is based on the Josei manga by Maki Enjoji (same author as koi wa tsuzuku doko made mo) I haven't read the manga yet so I have nothing to compare it to.
4 episodes in I thought it was pretty good. Even on the first episode. I may just be a helpless romantic and just enjoyed the romantic scenes without paying attention to the actual story, but I wouldn't have finished this if the plot sucked. It's a contract-marriage drama, there are a lot of them. Overall I really enjoyed this drama. Reason for only giving it a 9/10 is because this drama isn't perfect. Originally I was going to give this a 8/10 (while watching it) but I seemed to have enjoyed it more than I thought when I actually finished it. I really like the cast. The ML is handsome. I like the ending song. That's all!
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MUST WATCH AND READ THE MANGA!! <3
Honestly, I always read the reviews before watching and sometimes I get intimidated when I read the reviews. ALSO I LIKE TO MAKE MY REVIEWS SHORT because who wants to read a long review right? SO HERE WE GO:I recommend this drama because it is very sweet and the romance between the couple is very adorable. He protects her and she protects him. The drama is only 12 eps so it was rush compare to the manga BUT it has its own special parts about the drama. The manga and drama are a bit different in the stories - JUST A LITTLE BIT!
Overall ~ JUST WATCH AND MUST WATCH! ITS SO DAMN CUTE!!!
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WATCH IT
IT was soo good to watch all the characters. Splendid show. This drama is better than the manga.
I watched this series prior to reading the books.Dean Fujioka stars as an elite businessman Hokuto who meets a young woman Chiwa (Nana Seino) working at a hostess bar to pay off her parents' debt. While their initial encounter causes ...
I love the chemistry .
I would suggest it to somebody who wants a short drama (it’s only 12 episodes!) with not much drama in it and a happy ending. It would’ve been better from an adaptation POV, but it is rare to produce a good live action nowadays in dorama-land.
RATING: 10/10
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