Second Love (2015)

I just re-watched this series and after a second viewing I can say Second Love is my number one 'adult drama guilty pleasure'!
If you're in the mood for drama and romance then that's great because that's all you get! There's no mystery, or action, or anything like that. It's just two people quickly falling in love and then finding it hard to stick together due to outsiders and their own different ideals.

Now for the long explanation!
It's got a bit of a trashy-romance-novel vibe about it but in a totally good way. It's storyline is not very realistic so it plays out like a fantasy of a 30+ year old woman rather than a serious take on relationships. I think this is part of the reason why it's got so much re-watch value. It's short, very easy to plough through for a second time and to just not pay attention to the so-so story but then look up when Kame is taking his shirt off (I’m sorry/not-sorry). Even though I say that you'll still have a knot in your throat at moments.


I was surprised to see comments saying the sex scenes were bad! I don't think they are bad at all. They're certainly more... modest than your western dramas (no bare butts, no *cough* thrusting) just passionate kissing, semi-naked cuddling, and post sex spooning - which I guess must be risqué for a show aimed at Japanese women! The acting is very well done and, though Kame is a little too short and muscular to be a dancer, and Fukada is far too beautiful and alluring to be that innocent, I think they fit their characters well and look really good together.

To be honest it was quite fun to see Kame acting in a role where he isn't so sweet, perfect, and adorable. This role felt pretty different to other characters he plays. Even though he is playing a good-looking and hard-working boyfriend which pretty standard when it comes to Kame, however, Kei is not nearly as sweet, caring, and innocent as his pervious characters. Kei is single minded, has a much more natural appearance (as aposed to Kame's idol look), and less traditional with relationships - not interested in marriage or children. Kame's dancing is amazing (I have a dancing background) and for those saying he has a stunt double doing all his difficult moves should remember that he is a Johnny's idol and started his career as a backing dancer. He is perfectly capable of doing flips, one handed cartwheels, and things like that.


The music was a bit of a low point for me. None of the music itself was bad but I felt that it often was misplaced. As a KAT-TUN fan it hurts me to say this but KISS KISS KISS does not fit this drama at all. The song is far too bombastic and is used in scenes which really needed something much more subdued. It really took me out of some scenes and ruined really good moments. However the rest of the music in Second Love is great and fits the drama perfectly.


Overall I gave this drama a 8 which for some might seem a little high. However I truly enjoyed this drama. Yes the plot is pretty unbelievable and some side characters (though well acted) I found distracting and annoying, but it was fun, sexy, and I could 100% re-watch this again. I would defiantly recommend it but don't go in with high expectations - go in to have a bit of fun!

Leia Mais

I wasn’t going to write a review about this drama because of all the poor comments on it, however after fully watching it I thought I would say something.
I gave this a 7; and that is a reach- it is closer to a 6.7 and I will explain. The good points are seeing a grown up Kame-kun and watching his acting improve, seeing some shots from Germany, remembering why I don’t teach (those kids were bad!), and I really liked the music.
The negative qualities are a God-awful story line, Kame-kun’s bad German, Kyoko Fukada’s acting.
I appreciated this drama once I got to the end and found that the writers ended up telling a grow-up fairy tale about love. Of course none of the actions in this drama are even plausible for normal people, but that is why we love fairy tales because things magically occur.
As for the pink elephant in this review: the “sex “ scenes make no logical sense to the plot and to be honest they weren’t hot, loving or even comical. The sex scenes seem to be there for controversy… and to show that Kame-kun has lost weight but still has a fat face.
I recommend this drama for anyone who loves a good dose unrealistic fantasy in their dramas, who is a sucker for an against all odds love story and who has appreciation for the art of dance. (Kame-kun’s stunt double was putting in some work because everyone knows Kame is not the best dancer. And his dance scenes had plenty of face only and back shots lol.)
I believe that had the characters had a better story line, more episodes to develop the story and really bring out the issues of ageism and sexuality it would have been much better. A bad story line paired with a weak premise is something that apparently even Kame-kun cant sell.

Leia Mais

I've seen a lot, not only of Asian productions, but this one is the most horryfying, boring and stupid thing I've watched so far. If adults behaved like the main characters, I quess we would be dead until now.
Chemistry? Not even 0,01%. Acting? I think they all lost a bet or something to be here. Plot? What plot? There's nothing like that. I don't know who would think it's a good idea to make such a drama. Maybe if they called it a satire of being an absurdly childish adult I would give it two stars...
Really, that's the title I would like to unseen. I felt I lost my time, a part of my life to see this kind of the worst 'romance' ever. I would not recommended it even to an enemy. For me Fukada Kyoko is one of the worst Japanese actresses, but I didn't feel annoyed to watch her, still here she can't play even more.

Leia Mais

When both leads meet, they both dislike who they have become. The love is base on two strangers who are there for one another, literally. Even if they have little to offer each other, having another person just there, saved each other from hating themselves. The beauty to this drama is the fact that both leads break societal norms from age difference, marriage ideals, and career. The drama had good cliff hangers that kept me watching to the end. The acting was okay since this is how Japanese actors/actresses usually act, due to culture difference. (Languages definitely effect how a person act as an actor/actress). The problem I have with the this drama is the relationship was moving at a fast pace, that as the viewer, I couldn't catch up with the emotions the story wants me to feel at that moment. It would've been great if the story built the relationship more step by step, other than rushing it. Like earlier stated, the drama does address problems with societal norms, which makes it a realistic drama to watch.

Leia Mais

Wonderful movie ! Beautiful love story ! Amazing lead actors !

Just watched it for the 2nd time ... liked it even more as I could catch more to the subtility and understand the feelings of the lead actors better.
Kazuya Kamenashi 's dancing expresses what his face doesn't - it is very sensual and seduces her in an instant.
Kyoko Fukada is a gorgeous and talented actress who shows it all on her face ... Yui lacks confidence unfortunately...
Their chemistry on screen is fabulous ...
Of course both ex's upset me from the start but nothing they say or do can alter the deep connection of the leads over time.

Leia Mais

If you are looking for a light hearted or passionate love story, this is not the Drama you are searching for. But if you ever reached this point in life, when you had the feeling, nothing makes sense anymore and it doesn't matter what to do because you just feel lost, then you maybe will like this Drama.
Even if Sex is a matter in this Drama, it is more an expression of desperacy not of passion or love. Two people who have nothing to hold onto, found each other and survive together and maybe find the strength to go on...

My overall ranking is that high because this Drama catched me emotionaly right from the beginning. The cenementory is very emotional. They use slowmotion, water and sunlight to create a calm and sensitive mood.
The acting of the main actors in great. Both have a beautiful speaking voice. I loved to listen to their thoughts.
The soundtrack doesn't fit from time to time. It's too hard for the situations, it is played in. And I didn't like the sound.

Leia Mais

[2015.03.14 ReWriting now that I've calmed down]

I've stopped 20 minutes into episode 3.

Positives:
-The location(s)
-The entire cast (bar the main female) is amazing in their roles
-Kamenashi Kazuya
-The actual messages of the dorama

Negatives:
-Misadvertised: pushed as an 'adult love' drama but really it's just a jdrama that happens to have lots of kisses and sex scenes in it and that's called 'adult love'. There appears to be nothing adult like about it e.g. telling each other all your problems, discussing serious things, personality over looks (< which is the basic difference between a child's love and an adult's love).
-The main female lead is a 14 year old immature girl in a 35 year olds body.
-Cringey sex scenes
-No real chemistry between the leads.
-Hella frustrating to watch because it's such a childish relationship and unrealistic of an actual adult relationship.
-Relationship built on sex alone and there's nothing really dense or meaningful about their relationship except 'I feel shit about myself, you feel shit about myself, let's like each other and have sex' is what is appears to just be.

Leia Mais

Kei's life changes after he meets Yui. Not only Kei's but even Yui's life completely changes after she meets Kei.

Kei is a passionate dancer and his passion for dance gets ignited once again by his love for Yui. Yui on the other hand goes through ups and downs to find what she wants to do in life.

I liked how the story is developed in this drama. They both bring changes to each other's life and make them want to go for what they want in life rather than settling with what they have.

The way Kei and Yui handled the situations in their relationship are pretty much realistic and mature. Both characters did what they wanted to do, it was never like only one character had the power of decision making - no. Every character had the freedom to chose and stick to what they wanted. That's the beauty of this story and that's what I liked most about this drama.

Leia Mais

An amazing KAME Drama

FIRST : It's a KAME DRAMA -
MORE : they are some Unforgettable dance scenes I could rewatch on repeat !!

7 intense episodes on the love between a dancer and a teacher. This love story, complicated because 2 lovers come from very different backgrounds, is moving, harsh and sad. The relationship is intense, realistic (including the sex scenes, very beautiful and elegant).
They love each other, but don't want to give up on their dreams.

The japanese society is very well described, in particular the condition of women, the family, the artistic milieu.
Rythm & romance ...

And a fantastic KAME ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (as usual).

In short, one of my all-time favorite JDramas.

Leia Mais

I like Japanese dramas. They are usually short stories with real characters dealing with unrealistic situations. Second Love is a drama about two people who fall in love in an unexpected way. They want to stay by each other’s side but their circumstances just won’t let them be. I went into this drama without reading its synopsis. At first, I was confused with what was happening in the show. In fact, by the end of the first episode, my jaw dropped to the floor seeing the speed at which things were progressing for the two drama leads. It could be because I am too used to watching conservative K-dramas, where having a kiss scene in the first episode is rare, let alone an intimate scene.
I do not mind dramas having too much of skinship as long as it is meaningful and has some significance in the story. In Second Love, our two lead characters are lonely and are looking for a breakthrough in life. The male character Taira Kei is looking for a job worthy of his talent while Nishihara Yui wants to get married and live an ordinary life with a husband and family. They both want different things from life but their unison as a couple changes them and staying together becomes challenging with each passing day.

Let’s weigh this uncomplicated love story on the show beam balance and see if it is worth your time or no.

Good Weights
Realistic Scenarios: People high on Korean dramas will know how refreshing it is to watch a show that doesn’t have a super-rich guy fighting with another rich guy for the attention of a so-so clumsy girl. (Jeez! I just gave away the plot of 80% Kdramas ;)) In Second Love, the male lead is a passionate dancer who has seen his career high and is struggling to make it out of a bad phase while the female lead is tired of a monotonous life and is desperately looking for some change in life. The pace at which the two hook-up may be a little hard to believe but considering their respective situation it isn’t impossible. Time changes and so do people. With an increase in work offers, Kei is on his way to finally achieve his dream, which makes him pay less attention to Yui. It is a true scenario where a man often neglects his woman as soon as his career starts to move forward. The fact that all the scenarios in the show are relatable makes me like the show. I have seen creative people struggle, I have seen teachers being disrespected (not the way they do in the drama…that was a shocker for me…but I have seen students behave rudely with teachers), I have seen men change in relationships, so whatever was shown in the drama was not over-the-top but very true.

Realistic Characters: There is a scene in the drama where Yui wants the light off before the two of them get close, but Yui insists on keeping the lights on. They both fight for the switch till Kei has his way. The scene may seem like just another one in a drama but there is depth to it. Yui is a woman in her early thirties who lacks confidence in herself. She probably is not confident of her body and insists on undressing only in the dark whereas, Kei is a passionate man who would like to appreciate his lover in every way, which is why he wants to see her in the most intimate way. This scene actually goes on to depict the nature of the two characters. Yui is lonely and when a man much younger to her calls her a ‘goddess’ she feels desirable and is easily tempted to give in to his request. Her heart yearning for love is the reason why she sees nothing wrong in living with a man completely unknown to her. Little details like this always impress me. I like it when the characters have a soul and portray real emotions.


Bad Weights
Stone Faced Kame: Kamenashi Kazuya is a popular Japanese idol-actor. I guess he may be popular more for his singing because acting-wise he did not look impressive at all. This is all the variation he had to offer in expressions. Contemporary dances usually have a story to be conveyed through dance movements and facial expression. But even when dancing Kazuya looked pale and inexpressive. I have seen him in Nobuta Wo Produce where he has acted decently. I don’t understand why playing a disappointed, struggling character made him do away with his expressions. Also, there is something off about his eyebrows. I was too distracted by his eyebrows most of the time.

Japanese doramas are usually 10-11 episodes long but this drama had only 7 episodes because of its poor ratings. Going by the first 5 episodes I found the drama engaging and interesting I do not understand what was so bad about it to have it cut short.

The show beam balance has more good weights because I really enjoyed watching this drama. To me, the characters were very real which is why their actions seemed justified to me. Of course, this isn’t the best romantic J-drama but it is a decent love story focusing only on the two main characters.

Second Love is a simple love story of two people driven by lust and desire. If you like romantic shows with less of complications and more of love (making) then go for this one.  

Originally posted on www.alphagirl.in

Leia Mais