I didn't expect to get excited, laugh and cry over—labor, of all things. I'm not sure how much appeal this will have for younger viewers who aren't in the workforce, but quite a few scenes resonated with me. Don't be scared off by the plot. Even though Awl covers unions, labor law and workplace issues, it's not a lecture (except when it is, but even then it's fun!). Despite delving into the ugliness of reality, you never lose sight of the fact that the workplace is ultimately populated by people—and that we are equally capable of cruelty and kindness. A key theme is that there are no good guys in a fight; unions defend the mean and poor against the cruel and rich. Despite all that, we get our escapist fun with a dash of faith in the basic good of humanity.

The MC is an uptight manager at a supermarket. He refuses an order to illegally fire employees and quickly ends up organizing a union with the help of a wizened labor lawyer. Per the title, he is the spike that drives a wedge into this closed society. But soon the show moves past him to feature other's stories and motivations. It might be one righteous individual that drives the first swing, but it's the actions and support of many others that widens the crack. The show also explores how he withstands the pressure—you have to hit an awl, it's not a sledgehammer.

The plot started out slow, with a big emphasis on exposition. I ended up sitting at the edge of my seat pretty quickly. There are some comedic moments that felt forced, but overall the cast gave great performances. For fans of Ji Hyun Woo and Ahn Nae Sang, this is a must see. They acted out rich, mutidimensional characters with finesse. If you came for a supporting character, I still suggest you watch—sub-plots are brief, but develop over time, and show off each actor's strength.

This is a show that easily deserves 16+ episodes. The ending wrapped up far too quickly, with huge leaps. The writing wasn't exactly slipshod, but needed saving by the actors. But when do we ever get a great ending? Still, it got pretty good ratings (almost 2% average on cable), so I'm hoping this will be the "awl" for similar works—there are only so much high schoolers and makjang that one can take.

If you watched the movie Cart, which is based on the same true story, the plot is quite different.

Citeste mai mult

A gay man asks his ex of 25 years for a contract marriage to appease his dying mother. She agrees, hijinks ensue, along the way we learn the true meaning of family. It's an average plot but for the word "gay"—what is impressive here is that the gay is just one part of what makes this story special, and not its defining aspect.

In addition to family, Gisou no Fuufu explores what it means to come out (not only for the guy but also his fake wife, who has walled herself off emotionally from the world). The lighthearted tone of the show works, and works well—As expected, Amami Yuki and Sawamura Ikki are amazing as the cold, people-hating librarian and warmhearted nursery school teacher. There is plenty of comedic relief from Amami's deadpan, biting "inner voice" and Sawamura's blind over-eagerness. Uchida Yuki and Kudo Asuka also gave wonderful performances as a lesbian single mother and "ally of justice" deliveryman who helped carry the show in its more serious moments. While the story didn't show off the ugly side of some painful topics (discrimination, domestic abuse, the fear of coming out) it never ignored it, and the overall way that homosexuality was treated as something normal was refreshing.

The show starts with energy and proceeds at a brisk, tension-filled pace. It's served well by an upbeat JUJU track. The ending was disorienting, but it wasn't a sell-out, or entirely unexpected. It did make me reexamine my own preconceptions about what is truly important. All in all, the show's message seems to be: "There are many different kinds of people, with different types of love that bind them together. But you can't say that any one kind (gay, straight, romantic, platonic, familial, friendship) is worse than any other."

I am not a re-watcher, but can imagine getting nostalgic for the leads' banter. Overall, it was a fun and heartwarming ride with a strong message from a great cast, writer and directors (Kaseifu no Mita, Queen's Classroom).

Citeste mai mult

Fated love, reincarnation, cross-dressing—this drama should have been hitting all my weak spots. But the story comes off as bland and tired at best. If you enjoyed watching Blood non-ironically, then you would love this almost-reunion work. Snow Lotus is nothing special, but so bite-sized you might be tempted to give it a try.

The cross-dressing though—that was done very, very well. Lee Ji Ah's character actually felt like a male in drag (and a lovely maiden in a dress), to the point where the scenario started feeling like BL. Any comedic moments that made their mark came straight from here. Coffee Prince and Bromance have nothing on Snow Lotus. The story's one stab at uniqueness, combining this trope with reincarnation, made the whole thing watchable.

Ji Jin Hee seems to have taken up his character from The Man Who Can't Get Married, minus the humorous self-deprecation. This was the first time I saw Lee Ji Ah, but she did quite well as a dull pushover. It was hard to feel any romance between the two, but not for lack of their trying. Seo Ji Hye and Ahn Jae Hyeon had so little range that I don't feel comfortable commenting on their performances, but what little they showed was OK.

I can only hope director Song Hyun-Wook (Super Daddy Yul, Haeundae Lovers) and writer Min Ji-Eun (Old Goodbye) had temporary amnesia or some sort of terrible head cold for this project. They're better than this.

Citeste mai mult

I'll write this review for those who have watched the Japanese version of One Million Stars Falling From the Sky. I was originally hesitant to pick this one up because even though the original story was pretty wonky, I'm a huge fan of Kimura Takuya and Sanma because they have such great comedic chemistry together (especially the Christmas and New Year's variety specials they do~) and 100MM Stars was really the starting point of their on-screen collaboration.
For those who aren't familiar with 100MM Stars, it was to Jdrama was Fashion King was to Kdrama. I'm the type of M fan that still loves them both, so don't trust my taste too much.

I usually can't stand watching Korean remakes because they tend to copy every~single~detail~ and invite endless comparisons, usually, for the worse. In this case, while the details more or less matched up the broader plot changed dramatically. The story is much tighter, fills in tons of plot holes, and is much kinder. For example, you get an explanation of why and how the two leads got together that actually made sense (gasp!).
That said, I couldn't help but remember the absolute wretchedness of the original at certain key points—I think a lot of scenes that should have totally fallen flat for the Korean-only viewers had me practically in tears, and vice-versa. So don't take this review as reliable if you don't have the BG of 100MM Stars.

The Smile Has Left Your Eyes was a very pleasant surprise. I accidentally started watching because of Seo In Guk (The titles are different! The story starts out differently! How could I have known what I was getting into??). He brought a whole new image to the MC. Rather than Kimura's short-tempered abrasiveness, Seo channeled more of a cool-headed psychopath type of character. It was only until quite late in the series that he really started to overlap with Kimura's style/mannerisms and I really began to miss Kimura deeply (at a certain angle, in those same clothes, with that hair color...). I actually really like the MC's new job working in a brewery (less comparisons to SxS's champion cook!) and being able to see his interactions with his coworkers opened up a new dimension to the character. Seo eventually evolves into a softer, more self-assured version of the MC that is pleasing to the eye.

Seo's scenes with Park Sung Woong really couldn't match up to Kimura-Sanma's—the vicious but clever back-and-forth banter, the overwhelming tension in their relationship—all of that is gone. There was much less interaction between these two characters, and it boiled down to one simple flow (distrust -> trust layered with guilt as Park learned more about Seo's background — compared to Sanma never trusting Kimura, but gradually coming to pity him as their relationship constantly flips back and forth). That said, if you're not used to watching makjang Kdramas some of Park's interactions with Seo come off as absolutely ridiculous; maybe it was an effort at "localization". I was deeply unimpressed with the older brother character, despite adoring Park as an actor.

To fill in the duo's missing scenes, we get Jang Young Nam as a brand-new character starring as Park's buddy-cop and she really does a great job of driving Park's role to its depths. She's a strong, confident and lively breath of fresh air among all the testosterone and provides a healthy balance against the head-smashing vapidness of the young ladies chasing Seo. Her presence was deeply appreciated, not least because 100MM Stars felt like an anti-women anthem.

Speaking of, Jung So Min as the female lead had great presence, strong acting (better than Seo), and was all-around an improvement on Fukatsu Eri's character. She single-handedly delivered so many scenes; without her, this remake would have collapsed. The script dragged her back at times, but she delivered with sensitivity and talent.

Smile cut out a lot of empty filler from 100MM Stars and packed it with background plot (minus some emptier staring-down-the-street scenes that seem to be in fashion with Kdramas recently). Much, much better than hours of repeatedly being subjected to "boiling kettle flashbacks" and "handball tournament training". There was actually one scene where Seo played with that damned handball—I cried from the bottled-up repressed trauma, but I'm not sure what first-time viewers saw in it as the detail popped up out of nowhere.

Maybe it's because 100MM Stars really tore out my heart, but I appreciated Smile's shift to a happy ending (well... a happier ending). If you're still harboring damage in your heart because of 100MM Stars, I recommend this as your therapy. I'm not sure it stands up among the Kdramas greats.

Citeste mai mult

This is an unique new take on the classic detective/mystery drama that doesn't get old. I practically never rewatch dramas, but this is one that I keep going back to just to replay an episode or two when I'm feeling down.

As a short, 8-episode novel adaptation dele nevertheless maintains good pacing that doesn't overwhelm or drag on. The plot is episodic; there's one slice-of-life scene filled with cute banter and truly funny comedic relief, the case-of-the-week is introduced, and the leads go off to investigate, unraveling a plot twisted by the vagrancies of human nature, ending with a satisfying conclusion that leaves you in a contemplative mood. The action scenes are fun and punchy, and there's even some awesome wheelchair-based fighting choreography. The endings usually twist a couple of times, but don't pop out of nowhere, and it's great to replay an episode and appreciate the foreshadowing elements. Note that the plot doesn't doggedly adhere to pure realism; there are some supernatural elements in one sub-plot, for example (but no jump-scares), and one of the characters is a genius hacker while the other is a brilliant actor (it's not quite "high IQ, meet high EQ" but it's close).

Takayuki Yamada and Masaki Suda really deliver; I'm not a huge fan of either and think they've both delivered dull performances in the past. They play somewhat reserved young men with opposing temperaments who grow to trust and rely on each other as they work to unravel the mysteries behind why dele clients left behind certain data to be destroyed (and help them fulfill the deeper regrets behind their last request). There's no over-the-top misunderstandings, no weird competitive jostling between the two, no romance — it's such a relief to witness their low-key interactions as their friendship blossoms after all these crazy over-the-top romcons and makjang. Kumiko Aso plays the charming mediator and big sister who brings the two together and supports the company behind the scenes.

I appreciate the way that the series handles Keiji's handicap, which is, very matter-of-factly with no dramatics. Keiji doesn't let the chair stop him from doing what he wants to do, while Yutaro simply accepts him as he is. There are small moments that capture the daily inconveniences, such as where Yutaro is helping Keiji get into a car or to wipe down the wheels before they enter a house, or they have to move a chair aside for them to drink tea at a café — and then there are scenes where the boys flip society's conceptions and leverage the chair to sneak into enemy territory, or Keiji uses it as a weapon in a fight (so cool~!). In short, it's not a cheap add-on. The only time Yutaro even explicitly mentions Keiji's handicap is when he exasperatedly has to remind Keiji, "don't try to use it as an excuse now (you've never let it stop you before!)" — it's clear that Yutaro doesn't view it as something to be ashamed of and really respects Keiji's capabilities.

All the technical aspects, such as the filmography and music are well-done. The guest actors were usually great, sometimes the performances were only so-so, but overall there were plenty of touching moments to move the heart in every episode.

Citeste mai mult

This drama was absolutely gorgeous, the music was breathtaking, the acting was mesmerizing, every single minute was wonderfully staged. The only problem was the slow, stumbling pacing and inadequate script. Another review uses the word "lost" to describe the story — I wholeheartedly agree.

First off, the actors delivered in their roles as incredibly well-rounded, challenging human beings. In particular, I want to highlight Lee El as it's one of her best roles in ages; if you're a fan, this is a must-watch as she single-handedly delivers tons of incredibly tender and dazzlingly cool moments. Jung Kyong Ho gave a solid performance as this deep raspy-voiced wizened old man who transitions into a whiny young master-type with smooth ease. And of course, his dispairing breakdown scenes totally shook my heart. The real break out gem was Lee Seol, who wasn't on my radar before (I wasn't impressed by her previous works), but displayed an incredible range and totally made me stand up and take notice by the middle (note that the actress doesn't sing the main songs, but that's hardly a demerit). Park Sung Woong was tons of fun and had great chemistry with the cast. It's a rare series where not one character fell flat; even the role of Lee Choong Ryul was turned out wonderfully; I really wanted to beat his face in (and then pinch his cheeks)!

Soundtrack of the year, hands-down. Until I get my hands on the CD, I'm rewatching the drama just for the music.

Where the series really fell flat was the lengthy, repetitious monologues and overextended pacing; it was very much "tell, don't show." The worst part was, it didn't even tell that much, but instead kept repeating the same old lines up until a big rush to wrap up the plot at the end. To be sure, the drama kept me on the edge of my seat —but after a while, it got far too tiring with too little payoff. The ending came as a relief, but the plot seemed to just jump and skip so many steps in character development to get there that it just wasn't that satisfying. I can understand why the ratings were so low.

Just to nit-pick on plot, and in case you're looking out for some of your favorite smaller actors—The Kang Ha side-plot was bafflingly shallow, and in my opinion the entire character should have been cut or at least more closely integrated into the main storyline. Ditto for Yoo Ra In and Mr. Kang; this drama's attempts at including comedic foils were fell flat for me, and therefor I couldn't get too invested in their characters when they started getting deep and serious. In comparison, Lucca's plotline was so flat, the character barely had time to develop—his only use was to be banged around as a plot device to force events to keep going (great acting, though, I'm keeping an eye out for his lead roles). On the other hand, Kim Won Hae's character hardly made a dent despite being essential plot fodder.

In comparison with other dramas, all of these negative points come to nothing. But since every other element of this drama is so brilliant, they stand out like a sore thumb.

Citeste mai mult

This would be your typical school drama if it weren't for the hilariously brilliant Matsumoto and Nakai. These two have such amazing comedic chemistry—during filming they were always coming up with and refining jokes—and it's such a shame that they haven't worked together like this since. The humor isn't the typical over-the-top flavor dorama is known for; but more of dark/deadpan humor, word play and manzai hijinks.

DnK was a fun watch and looking back, feels more substantial than 11 episodes. It might be Nakai's best work, apart from Naniwa Kinyudo. The first episode pretty much sets the tone; while on average the quality improves, there are episodes that just drag. I found myself fast-forwarding some scenes. Overall the drama treats the students, teachers and issues they face with restraint.

Nakai plays a double-faced character who is the perfect, caring teacher on the surface, but in actuality would do anything to avoid getting involved with his students. Matsumoto is the "reformer" brought in to save Nakai's troubled class—but he would rather push the students to fight than break them up if he thinks it's fun (and if not, well, he'll just ignore them). These two, who obviously can't stand each other, are forced to work together or lose their jobs. Episode by episode they manage to stumble into a solution for their students' problems and fix their own outlooks on education (and their backstories are actually interesting).

This drama does feel a bit dated in places (everyone's still running everywhere despite the fact that they've gotten cell phones, those horrible suits, the '90s acting), but the funny has not degenerated at all. While some student's stories are touching; overall the issues, acting, etc. is quite average—nothing as heart-rending as The Queen's Classroom, or as stupidly wild as GTO, or as uplifting as Kinpachi-sensei, or as adorable as Gokusen. But it was refreshing to the point where I would compare it with Confessions (divorced, but still longing for, the bleeding heart/reformed punk-turned-teacher molds). And at least the students aren't pushing 30 and are proactive in fixing their own lives.

Citeste mai mult