Cute Drama Perfect for Holiday Season!

This drama is surprisingly good for holiday season, since the setting was from Halloween to Christmas. Before, I tried to watch this drama once or twice but was turned off by how pushy and stalkerish the ML Takane is that I did not finish the first episode. Finally I picked it up again and after I got to know more of him and the rest of the characters I was hooked. This drama is cute and surprisingly well executed for a live action from manga. Since I never read the manga I reviewed the drama only.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS DRAMA
(+) Unique plot for a typical love story: Typical, since a man (Takane) and a woman (Junko) from two different worlds romantically meet. Unique plot because the Takane is a monk who is being sheltered the whole life in the temple with only his Grandma and the monks around him. And Junko is a career woman who dreams to move to New York.
(+) Overall story not draggy. Plenty of hilarious scenes, and heart-breaking scenes in the 2 last episodes with satisfying endings for everyone.
(+) It is well worth to note that the drama screenwriters are not the manga writer Miki Aihara, therefore the script is not choppy like coming straight out of a comic, but flows more with the plot. Although not excluding the uniqueness of manga storyline.
(+) Character Takane is mostly the main source of hilarity. since he is not familiar with how people act and live in the real world. His sincere yet clumsy adaptation to society after meeting Junko, her family, and ELA crew is funny and touching at the same time.
(+) I am glad that the story actually makes the Junko goes to New York in the end of the drama to pursue her life dream
(+) Interesting characterization choices the manga writer picked for her comic
(+) Seven cold shower scenes under takigyo (waterfall where monks meditate)!
(+) Great chemistry between Takane and Junko.
(+) The other couples' chemistry: Arthur-Momoe is good and Hachiya-Masako is okay (probably not much character growth and screen time for the last couple).
(+) Actress Ishihara Satomi is beautiful and hilarious at the same time. I saw her in Rich Man, Poor Woman but her role is better here.
(+) I have never seen the acting of Yamashita Tomohisa (Yamapi) prior to this drama. Although the monk Takane role does not make him talkative but his facial expression communicates amazingly well. Surprisingly good for a Japanese idol, and by looking at his filmography he acted in interesting and unusual dramas/movies.
(+) Remarkable casting overall, even to the supporting cast like Junko's family and neighbors, the ELA crew, the temple monks even to the little monk Naha. Overall, it seems like everyone were having fun filming this drama!
(+) I squealed when I saw Kaga Marikofor showed up in the screen the first time, played as Takane's grandmother! She is the villain mother from classic Hana Yori Dango. The actress is 75 years old now and is still active in dramas and movies, which is amazing.
(+) Stunning cinematography using fall season and holiday season backgrounds
(+) The OST is surprisingly good! The theme song is "Christmas Song" a romantic ballad by Japanese rock group Back Number (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEqOLMXqOlM). Other songs are mostly upbeat jazzy, and the softer tones are good for background music. I even played them while I was writing this drama. The playlist can be found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kbmiLfvUq0

WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT THIS DRAMA
(-) I feel like some scenes are like being dragged but others are being rushed. Probably editing issue. For example: the drama does not tell more about Amane and how he is redeemed by Takane. His character development from antagonist to protagonist is just too fast I have the impression the story just wants to add Amane character as a filler.
(-) Not really a dislike, but I wish the drama is longer. For example: I read in the reviews/comments that the manga gives more story to Arthur-Momoe couple.

Leia Mais

The story is about changing your view how you do anything if your life depends on it. The winking eunuch who stole the screen in Love in the Moonlight: the talented comedian actress Kim Seul-gi is the main star! Together with Yoon Doo-joon and Ahn Hyo-seop, they brings up real South Korean historical figures to live in this drama with tons of kudos on witty script, superb casting, great cinematic, and choreography. The music is well done: the upbeat "Fondant to You" by Kim Hyun-joong (Yoon Ji-Hu from Boys over Flowers) and the melancholic "Don't Go" by Jung Ji-chan. Overall: Brilliant!

Leia Mais

I accidentally came across this youth drama thru Youtube having captured by one remarkable kissing scene by the lead characters (if you have watched it you must have known which one I am talking about) and also after watching the first scene in episode 1... I am sold! Initially, after watching the official trailer I was expecting a light rom-com story along the way, but boy I was wrong. The main story and the side story lines go down deep digging into the parents past that bring up the present as consequences that not only the adults but also and their children must bear.

STORY: Adding to what I have written above, I should note that side stories in this drama are also delightful to watch. I usually skip boring side stories especially that tend to add in Chinese dramas that stretch to too many episodes, but uncharacteristically me I watched probably 95% of the whole drama minus fillers. Almost every main and support roles bring up their life stories to tell and teach us about what should and what should not be.
More over, in contrast of other reviewer stated about the ending, I thing it is not rushed at all. The last episode brings up the climax of the whole plot, in which without a need of adding a wedding scene, we can conclude what lead character's relationship fate will be. And the very end is the closure of what happened to the supporting roles important to wrap up the whole drama. I think this drama screen is brilliantly written to live action.

ACTING/CAST: Although I can easily fall in love with the female lead XiaoXi character since being introduced, not so fast with the male lead Jinghao character, giving the same reaction as XiaoXi concluded when she first met him "I have never met a man so arrogant". But once they got together, there is a great chemistry between them, a must have in a good romance or romantic comedy drama. Jinghao's arrogant and rough character is matched perfectly by XiaoXi's strong-willed and ready-to-fight character. Both Bu GuanJin and Fan Shiqi have delivered whether fighting or loving action passionately.
Besides the main leads, the choice of majority supporting roles are well done too, from the team mates, besties, frenemies, parents, even to the most adorable cast to watch in this drama, the little Yali.

MUSIC: I don't usually watch movies or dramas for their OST or music, but I think the music in this drama is okay to listen to, having mostly matched with the scenes. I may come back to edit my rating for the music after rewatching it for the second time.

REWATCH VALUE: As almost nothing should be skipped as they are building towards the understanding of this drama as a whole, I can vouch that this drama has a high rewatch value, especially once us as non-Mandarin speakers, finding a site with great English sub translation may want us to come back to rewatch a drama. I can praise for iQIYI the drama network's effort to translate to understandable (American) English for international audience.

OVERALL: As it already said in the title. This drama is a must watch for not only teenagers or young adults, but for parent-age adults to learn about the moral of love, friendship, family, honesty, lies, and decision making values that can heavily effect generations to come.

Leia Mais

I was interested to this drama because of the cover image and the positive reviews. But after watching 8 episodes I decided to drop it. I'm not talking about cliches or arrogant ML role, I was actually kinda looking for 'bad' ML type after watching so many dramas with nice ML type which become boring. But it's just the the story just meh and there is nothing interesting to tease me to run for the every next episode. After dragging myself to watch episode by episode I just did not want to punish myself when there are still a lot of dramas waiting in my PTW list. Honestly I was looking forward for the actor Jung Il Woo since seeing his great acting in Moon Embracing the Sun. His acting here is good actually, just his character seems so unrealistic, an entertainment industry CEO who falls in love in the first sight to a average looking girl? In the other hand, IMO Yi Ryung character is realistic being a country girl. Despite of negative comments of actress Yin Se Yeon, I think she nailed her role as a 'naive' girl clueless of the modern Seoul, entertainment world and celebrities. Head section Heo and the psychiatrist's acting skills are actually very good too. Too bad, I actually was looking forward to see 'behind the scene' hard work of pop idols.

Leia Mais