Really enjoyed this, the story is basically formulaic but given original development and neat twists (e.g. the comic smoking thread which actually reflected the characters nicely and so was part of the story, not just casual) and I found the acting and the interplay very effective and touching. The support roles at the workplace were good too. The workplace seemed casual beyond belief - is it really like that in Japanese offices? - but all part of the fantasy no doubt. The end part was a bit rushed but who cares, it was a happy ending - and convincing, not just contrived.

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Stunning historical drama brilliantly acted and with outstanding production values and direction. Not an easy watch, harrowing and gut-wrenching as the drama reaches its culmination (sensitive viewers be warned) but it was understandable in context as reflecting the passions of the characters involved. Violence just a scintilla too far at some points otherwise for me albeit understandable in the context of the whole film. As. Re-watch value 10 as its importance as a movie justifies this, but you will need to be in the mood to take it if you are actually to re-watch!

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美しい彼〜嘘!

this drama has some good aspects but I do not change my earlier critique。 a lot of the acting in the first half school episodes ーI assume reflecting the script ーwas superficial and unpleasant in the cliched way so many Japanese school dramas focus on bullying。as for the relationship of Kiyoi and Hira、 for five and half episodes out of 6 I see a disturbing narcissistー codependent relationship fuelled by Hira's obsessive love attraction which - as Proust shows so well - really derives its strength from projection of a fantasy image on the loved object。 then we are asked to believe in the last half of the final episode that this was all a misunderstanding and the flame of love was buried but now lights up after years 〜but！ Kiyoi is still putting down Hira and this is somehow the basis of a lasting relationship when anyone with self-respect would walk away ：if it does lead to some kind of relationship then it is a twisted one。 the ending has some appeal and it is nice if you can view it as somehow a happy ending、 but being honest this is simply not reconcilable with what is depicted in the previous five and half episodes。 I do not criticise the main leads who made the best of a ridiculous script。

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Beautiful story of enduring GL

For me the main virtue of this short GL Chinese movie is that it actually contains openly gay scenes 🏳️‍🌈 maybe just escaping the Chinese homophobic censorship〜 the story is nothing unusual of its genre except possibly the green blood❇️　 and the mermaids of the title seem different from humans only by this and their possibly more ethereal makeup and clothing〜〜 but indisputably the best part of the movie is the end： brilliant original unexpected moving and beautiful with the music overpowering me with emotion 💕🔆
(♡ᵉ̷͈ัॢωᵉ̷͈ัॢ )‧₊°♡

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Look at the blue sky

This is not just yaoi mystery stories, it it is the the romantic friendship of Sakaki and Tori, and the caring of Sakaki that rescues Tori and extends his feelings to care for people, especially those who are in trouble or different from other people, sensitive to life in special way, and feeling for beauty in ordinary nature around us. All in understated way. You have to notice at start the blue sky?azure?? egg of the title Sakaki plays with, stands I feel for beautiful delicate shell around and protecting our feelings. I feel the music adds to feeling of delicacy in this drama. You can call this "tearjerker". As it says, if you feel sad and alone, go outside and see the blue sky that connects us all. I wish all people could be so caring. OK, I am sentimental. Perfect. Yokatta!

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I must admit to finding this movie quite confusing, just as I thought I'd worked it out it seemed to take another turn. The link from beginning to development certainly requires patience before some understanding of what's going on begins to emerge. However I would tend to agree with the previous reviewer it's probably underrated and it has some quite complex layers of meaning that by the end have you puzzling but staying with you as you try to unravel them - perhaps that's the definition of a good movie. It's obviously not just a "gay" movie. It struck me as more representing in a story a psychological breakdown and struggle to make sense out of what had happened to him - someone trying to recover psychologically from a deep inner sense of loss of the "love of his life" - maybe an ideal image and since she disappeared that ideal image would never be tested by reality, so having an even more powerful hold in a way. So he seizes on coincidences of words etc and projects this image on to someone else who happens to be a schoolboy. Others may see it as having some spiritual explanation, like reincarnation - and certainly that's the more obvious explanation in a way, given the closing comments of the film. If you apply the title "bungee jumping" to what happens at the end and two people finding a real feeling of love for each other, regardless of the issue of sexuality, then it would seem to be a happy "gay" ending (what a rarity in Korean movies that is). If that's the case, I take it the bungee jumping is intended to be just that (and we do see the pulley). But then you wonder did the rope snap or did they jump off as there's these closing comments about meeting in another life and definitely giving the impression that you will keep coming back until you're in a "normal" hetero- relationship - which mixes up the whole meaning of the story again - or is that just meant to be taken as a laugh? really a statement that sexuality is of secondary importance? Well sometimes I do "overdetermine" the meaning of stories, admittedly, but this is not a straightforward story by any means. There's a fair bit of angst and sadness about two-thirds through. Putting aside the meaning, the "visual delights" would not entice me to watch again (that's apart from the fact the quality of film is pretty low on the only available subbed version I could find). It's dated, the "schoolboys" had certainly been held back about five years judging by their real ages or they must have extraordinarily well-developed physiques in Korea. But these are not really important given the impact of the story. Can't really give it a ten as there are too many loose ends capable of various interpretations which may be just because the director has failed to communicate well enough for analytical types like me to pick out the signals to what he intends. Well worth a re-watch in the future despite the discouraging film quality.

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This was an amazing drama. As I began watching I knew I was starting on another Korean historical marathon and wondered if I could make it to the end. It had all the usual good and bad characters, alternating between romantic episodes and action episodes. It had the - for me - usual high emotion and melodrama that seem characteristic of Korean drama. However for me it was a very original idea but certainly requires a big suspension of belief. It had so many different strands and developments I kept wondering how they would keep them going. In fact you could say rather like circus juggling. I sometimes find the tension too much to take. This drama I think divides into two main parts 〜〜the first half more the story about the real king and his double and the second more usual palace politics but with the crowned clown twist as to how he behaved in the role of king and with the palace intrigue. I must admit I needed a break half way [though partly because I am butterfly and watch so many other dramas] and I thought the romance was taking over too much from action and it was rather hard to believe a king would behave in that way. However I found the tension towards the end very hard to bear. I watched the last 3 episodes in one go and I must admit how the plot was worked out surprised me. It is giving nothing away to say that good triumphed and all the villains came to a "sticky end", but how it was done here was unusual and original to me compared with similar Korean dramas. The finale totally surprised me and then of course the romantic element then also became very moving. I think Koreans must be very emotional as all their dramas are so emotional and "weepy". It was however certainly very moving with a very handsome romantic hero and beautiful heroine. In the end very enjoyable and rewarding drama. I do not think I will watch again, knowing the story, but I think it still deserves a perfect score.

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manga bender

enjoyable comedic drama but as it went on for me it became more than just this and was thought provoking too on nature of gender and also where reality and fantasy begin and end with manga passion transmuted into ”real life” 〜very touching and well thought out ending though slightly disappointing from one viewpoint acting good all round：I think Matsuzaka is in characteristic style here as accident prone "little guy" finding himself in compromising situation but ？maybe？ seems slightly ill at ease in same sex scenes here but Iura quite at ease and excellent🇯🇵

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look through the politics and you will find an endearing short Chinese GL drama series

enjoy this good story attractive actors, costume, background but the modern political prejudices are hardly well hidden [Kuomintang one-sidedly portrayed as the inhumane thugs] and it is fairly obvious why Chinese censorship did not take a heavy hand with this despite the same sex undertones （some parts even contain virtual lectures：do not let the start put you off）：maybe in 2017 they thought with the propaganda it is worth risking effect of the heavy friendship！ yes、 end very telescoped （but you could say this about the whole drama） but it worked〜 look through the politics and use your imagination （though with Zhou Yao Huayou's character played by Yan Zi Dong maybe do not need much imagination） and this is endearing same sex drama〜

☆*✲ﾟ*｡(((´♡‿♡`+)))｡*ﾟ✲*☆

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Good ride

very slick well written and planned and well-acted thriller with plenty of action like the best K-drama of its genre〜the concept is not that original but it is well done 〜reminds me of 「Mission Impossible」except it is not one completed story for every episode but leaves cliffhanger and there emerges an underlying backstory and plan behind the targeted individuals〜 you have to focus to follow the detail 〜this is binge watch quality which is rare for me。Great cast both main and support。 you really want them to get those low-lifes in high places。Song Seung Hyeon was also in similar genre「 Black」（also with Kim Won Hae） and 「Time Slip Dr Jin」 that I liked but his main career roles seem romance or melodrama〜Kim Won Hae also has a long distinguished career in similar roles （main and support） such as 「Nine Times Time Travel」、「Black」「 I am Human Too」 「Hotel del Luna」 to name a few it would have been good to see a follow up with these actors as they developed good chemistry。

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great drama of political intrigue

after slow start （maybe because I did not watch the prequel so not familiar with background）I loved this superlative action drama and very involving once you begin to unravel the overload of information about various courts intrigues and players〜one I watch many episodes together〜 also this drama really lives up to its name as it is episode 4 and I have not seen a single female： how do they reproduce？(^_-) as usually it seems with Chinese dramas the introduction songs are too long、 I assume Chinese audience like action shots with music as a distinct part of the show〜but though I like rock music it seems bizarrely out of place in this type of period drama〜my only criticism is the very unsatisfactory ending on which see separate comment with spoliers〜〜

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Inspirational message

certainly set in different background from usual school drama which I find interesting〜 there is room for some social class comment although of course a romanticised view of technical schools as this is fiction〜as to the girl in boys school trope、this has a different more original feel than similar dramas： of course heroine is too good to be true as we would all like to be but this is fiction！and then also a love triangle but it feels like this was put in as part of the formula and is not a main focus〜but interesting plot elements showing hard background stories of some students 〜such as one involving single parent、 another financially struggling〜 really add interest and are well developed though finally it is obviously intended as inspirational message for teenagers rather than realistic 〜still no boring part and I liked this more as I watch it really good show so 10 / 10

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dark but compelling drama about caste and bullying in school setting

First a general point. it is unfortunate that the traditional emphasis on community, family, groups in Japanese society, which has tended to stamp on anyone out of synch with social norms and hierarchy (though now improving in more liberal cities) is truly reflected in the type of bullying in schools typical of Japanese school drama and especially in this drama looked at from the angle of caste。 Like others I thought this drama would be more comic but it is actually quite depressing with the bullying tropes and unremittingly dark 〜actions of some students in this drama are extreme to point of sociopathic but this I suppose is part of the fictional exaggeration for dramatic effect。 however despite the darkness it hooks you as a very good school mystery genre for the first 10,5 episodes and the the evil is counterbalanced in that it is effectively being challenged by Baba (and later her friends)。especially moving is the genuine feeling and character of Baba's passion in the last episode which unravels the mystery and the darkness。it is also a good satire at times on uncaring or just ineffective teachers and teacher to teacher bullying (in one episode at least)。the final episode is nicely finished and neatly resolved、 though the festive side departs from any sense of realism and is rather out of character with most of the story 〜I also find it interesting how the argument comes full circle with the students ultimately demanding the very class system which through the abusive caste system shown in the drama produced thee bullying problem： it seems what they want is not to retain the good part of Japanese communal spirit while getting rid of the negative effects〜 an ideal solution indeed if it is only possible in reality！still this is a drama where fictional dramatisation is used very well to examine real social problems and lifts it above pure entertainment〜 though I am happy to say bullying is becoming less of a problem in my experience〜finally I really liked the music of Exile。

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Another watchable Chinese fantasy production

finally I enjoyed this series very much as the characters developed and for me this and the fantasy were the best parts。 it was disappointing the relationship between Zhao Yun Lan and Shen Wei was sanitised by censorship but unfortunately not unexpected and you have to learn to use your imagination in these Chinese dramas〜 some actors are better at being suggestible than others：here for me only 7０％。It was also a learning curve working out how the double characters fitted。 I think the less good part was the production values、 very basic with the same unconvincing cardboard sets and props throughout and the total populations of Haixing and Dixiang in crowd scenes seeming at most 40 or 50 people: must be the budget〜also the obvious and very artificial and mostly unconvincing attempts to insert straight romance between certain characters。but looking beyond this the larger story including back story was very well developed coming together nicely in the second half Music was good especially closing song。Not close in quality to 「The Untamed」 but a very good show that had me watching one episode most nights to the end of the series which means for me it must be very good。

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