This drama left me deep in thought even after I finished it. None of the episodes were boring, each one left me wanting to watch the next, it was just so good. The story is on the more mature and serious nature, so I wouldn't recommend watching this drama if you're in the mood for something light and funny. It's not a romance either. The story deals more with abuse, friendship, growing stronger and finding yourself. Each character had their own story, their own problems they were struggling with.



What really got to me in this drama was the realism of it. There are people that go through these types of issues in real life, and they don't always have someone by their side to help them get back on their feet. In the drama you find out more about each person as the story progresses, it made me think a lot about the people in my own life, everyone struggles with something, some people have deep dark secrets their embarrassed to talk about or afraid to talk about.



The acting was done really well! Exceptional! I haven't seen any of the other actors act in anything else, except for Nishikido Ryo, I've seen him in 1 Litre Of Tears. Needless to say, seeing him go from his character there to this one proves how much of a good actor he is. Sosuke was dark, his character was scary in ways because of the things he did. Nagasawa Masami as Michiru did a really good job, you saw her character getting stronger as the drama progressed. Ueno Juri as Ruka did an excellent job, her character had a lot of internal suffering going on as you find out more as each episode ends. I loved Eita's character, Takeru, even with all the things he's gone through he's an upbeat guy, admirable. The rest of the cast was really good, as well.



The music was good, the theme song, "Prisoner Of Love" by Utada Hikaru was perfect for the drama. The lyrics really matched with what the characters felt. The instrumental to it was really nice as well. The rest of the instrumentals fit the drama as well.



Will I rewatch this again? Someday. Serious dramas like this I love and enjoy for their realism, but I'm not sure when I'll rewatch this, if I do it won't be for a while.



Overall: It's a really good drama, I'd recommend it to everyone. It deals with a lot of issues. I found myself needing to watch each episode, like I mentioned above - I wasn't bored with any of this drama. There was always something going on to keep me intrigued and wanting to see what happens next.



The impact of their friendship, how each of them were willing to do anything to protect each other, that's the most important part of this drama I feel.



I wished they'd of gone a little more into detail about a few things, but overall it was done really well, I can't say it enough!

Leia Mais

Star in My Heart, I originally started watching this on a whim, I added it after a random find. After watching Reply 1997 I felt in the mood to watch an older drama, one that ironically also came out in 1997. So needless to say, when I started watching this I didn't have much expectation for it. The oldest Kdrama I had watched before this one had come out in 2006.

From the first episode I knew I was going to like this drama. It starts off with Yun Hee as a high school student, taken out of an orphanage by a friend of her father. She's taken into his rich family and inherits an arrogant step mother, an annoying step sister and a creep step brother. Typical Cinderella start out. But the story progresses little by little until Yun Hee is already half way through college. The time gaps, I will note, did confuse me a little. They're implied by change of hair or change of events, it's not stated how much time has passed, rather something you have to pick up on yourself.

The story overall was good. While nowadays it may be clichéd, Star in My Heart was one of the dramas that paved the way for modern Kdramas. To me, I found it really refreshing and a nice change of pace. There wasn't the over amount of angst and drama, but rather just the right amount. Another thing I loved was the lack of confusion between the leads. There was some, but they understood each other. And the love triangle is really hardly there at all. But it didn't take away from the drama at all, actually it made me like it more.

The acting was done really well. Choi Jin Sil did an excellent job as Yun Hee, and I was really sad to hear about her death. Yun Hee was a character who stood up for herself. She had her limits and didn't let the petty things get to her. And the actress also portrayed someone else in the drama, really contrasted her original character. Ahn Jae Wook as Min Hee was also really well done. I loved his character! He has such an amazing voice, too, and I'm pretty sure he was singing live during the show. Most of the times in modern dramas it's often lip synching through audio when it's supposed to be live. Cha In Pyo as Joon Hee was also a favorite. Not getting as much screen time until later on, but becoming one of the most important characters in this drama. His character was always supportive and he knew what he was doing as a leader.

Other characters, such as Yi Hwa, Yi Ban and their mother did their roles fine. Yi Hwa was probably the most annoying character in the drama, but her mother followed closely behind. Yi Ban was annoying, but I found his character pathetic and wimpy and couldn't help but laugh at his character on screen at serious moments.

The music was the best part of the drama. The soundtrack has become a favorite of mine now. As I mentioned above, Ahn Jae Wook has an amazing voice! Such songs as "Forever" and "Hurt" have lingered in my head even after I finished watching. The theme song "Always Beside You" is also nice. As are all the instrumentals.

I don't normally rewatch that many dramas, simply because there's always a drama I haven't seen calling my name, but I can see myself rewatching this one some time down the road. As I mentioned before, it was a refreshing and nice break from the modern Kdrama.

Overall, I would recommend this drama to anyone looking for a change of pace or something that would nowadays be lesser known. If you're the type who doesn't like to watch older dramas, maybe because of the quality, then maybe this is not for you. The quality I found to watch I felt was good for a drama 15 years old. You're not going to get much better than that unless you buy the drama.

I think I'll always picture the leads look the way they did in this drama.

If you do decide to watch it, keep in mind that the fashion may not be what you consider "good" simply because the styles have really changed since then. The lack of cellphones as well. Only one character had one in this drama. And the difference in the sound of the music. I, personally, love a lot of things from the nineties so I loved the music. But I understand that may not be the case for some.

Anyways, hope this review convinces you to check it out! It's worth that much at least (:

Leia Mais

Agreed with the last reviewer - this movie will take you into the world of the hearing impaired and most of the movie is in sign language. But don't let that turn you away from this great story (: It's actually what makes this movie so interesting. The characters communicate without speaking but they're able to get their message off as if they were speaking.



The acting is great, I have no complaints about any of it (:The guy who plays Tian Kuo, Peng Eddie, does a good job, his character was so cute! And the actresses who played the girls were also good, it makes me wonder if they actually knew sign language or just learned the parts they needed to know for the movie.



I enjoyed the music that was played throughout the movie. Although I don't know the names of the songs, they were nice (:



I can see myself watching this movie again sometime, so my rewatch value for it is high (:



Overall - I think this movie is worth watching (: It's a cute, not too dramatic, nice story. It gives you a break from your typical love story and instead provides something a little less complicated but just as enjoyable (:

Leia Mais

My first Chinese drama ever! I just finished watching it and I still feel sad. How to begin? I was never really bored with this drama, even in parts where it started to drag a little I never skipped any parts because there was always something to pull me in and make me wanna find out more. And then the last 5 episodes happened - and made me think this drama is something brilliant.



At first, I wasn't sure if I was going to watch it. Let's face it - half balded guys aren't exactly eye candy. But I was wrong! And I'm glad I found people who were raving about it because it made me want to watch it! I got over that issue by the 5th episode - and some of the Prince's are still cute! And whatever else lacks, the story is the most important part - and it was excellent! I had mixed feelings about the princes' throughout the drama.



The acting was amazing! I've heard that Chinese dramas tend to not be acted out that well - but this one is certainly an exception! Wonderfully done - whatever the characters were feeling were clearly portrayed. They cried - I cried.



The music is beautiful! I love the soundtrack! Listening to it now, it just makes me sad - but I can't stop listening! Beautiful!



I don't think I'll rewatch this drama soon - only because there's already so many I have lined up to watch.



Overall - this drama was really worth the time. 35 episodes may seem like a lot - but the story is really done well and it made every episode worth it!



On a side note - keep in mind to expect some not so good greenscreen use and such. Actually some of it was bad enough that it made some scenes [when they're riding on a horse] look like something straight out of a video game. On the plus side - I found it comical and it added humor to a scene haha. Another thing to note that slightly bothered me - she's stuck in the past for many years: but none of them seem to age. It's not until it's almost over that they look slightly different. Because of those things I can't give this drama a full !O. I almost gave it an 8 but it's such a great story, the ending.... get some tissues ready!



Another thing - you don't have to know anything about the Qing Dynasty to follow along with this story. In a way I think it might be better if you don't. I didn't and it left surprises for me when I found out what would happen to the characters.

Leia Mais

Kingyo Club was one of those dramas that I heard about somewhere and remembered hearing good things about. I saw a recommendation for it the other day and I up and decided I was going to watch it. I didn't even realize the episodes were only 20 minutes long! Needless to say, this is a drama you can easily finish in less than a day.

The story was good, it covers a lot of different issues concerning things such as bullying, family problems and rumors. It's a story set in a high school setting, there's drama and even a love story. The drama is very short though, which is why I can't give it more than an 8 - because while it was a nice short drama, there are other things they could have done with it to make it an even better drama.

All of the main actors in this drama are younger ones, some of them even starting out with Kingyo Club being their first drama. That being said, I think they did a really good job! The acting seemed natural and there isn't anything bad I can say about it.

There were a few songs they played in the drama, I found both of them to be nice songs. Even though I'm not sure how they really fit the drama at some points.

Overall I think this is a really nice and short drama that I would recommend to anyone looking for something that deals with more than just school and a "cute couple." This is a drama that deals with more serious issues.

Also, I mentioned already - the episodes are only 20 minutes long! (:

The last 3 episodes were finally subbed recently and hopefully someone will update some of the streaming sites for those that don't download :D

I might rewatch this drama someday, although it might not be for a long while.

Leia Mais

I've only heard good things about this movie - and after watching it I can see why (: For a movie that came out a decade ago it's done really well. If not for the cinematography you wouldn't know the difference.



The story sets off in the future and then we come to learn of this miss "sassy girl" who takes over Gyun Woo's life after they meet. The story had me laughing from the beginning. I wasn't sure where the story would wind up turning until the end of it where it comes full circle and ends with a cute ending (: It's definitely one of the best romantic comedies I've seen. Miss "sassy girl" , you never learn her name, but her character is original. And poor Gyun Woo, you can't help but feel sorry for the unfortunate events that continue to happen to him in the movie - at the same time laughing.



The acting is terrific - I have no complaints at all about any of the actors in this movie.



As for music - there really wasn't any main song to this movie. The only song that sticks out is the instrumental "Pachelbel Canon" by George Winston - if you don't recognize this name I'm sure you'll recognize it upon hearing it in the movie (:



My rewatch value is high - I'll definitely watch this movie again - I really enjoyed watching it!



Overall - I think this is indeed a "Classic" and if you're someone who enjoys romantic comedies I think it's something you need to watch (: So if you have some time and looking for something to watch I recommend this movie! So - watch it (:

Leia Mais

After watching the first season I wasn't sure how I'd like this one. But I was surprised and found myself actually enjoying this one just as much if not more. One this is for sure - you don't have to watch this series in order. While the story is quite similar to the first season - it's a whole new group of students and therefore new stories, new problems.



While the original Gokusen had popular names such as Matsumoto Jun and Oguri Shun, Gokusen 2 has Kamenashi Kazuya, Akanishi Jin, Hayami Mokomichi, and Koike Teppei. For those who've seen the first Gokusen you'll find familiar faces also among the cast - and a return of Kuma! One of my favorites from the first season, I was happy to see him return in Gokusen 2!



The acting was great, I loved the entire cast!



The music wasn't anything special - the theme song changed from "Feel Your Breeze" to "No More Cry" at the end which wasn't a bad song. I loved Kamenashi Kazuya's "Kizuna" that was played during the drama, though (:



I can see myself rewatching this drama sometime, but probably not for a long time.



Overall - I enjoyed it just as much as the first season. For those of you who have seen the first season - you won't be disappointed with this one. For those who haven't seen any of the seasons yet but are curious because you like the cast - watch it! (:

Leia Mais

To start off - I loved this movie! It was really funny in parts, different than what I'd first expected of the movie, but in a good way (: I'm definitely counting this movie as one of my favorites! Hae-Joo is a blind girl who gets surgery and is able to see for the first time. Dong Geun is her boyfriend who didn't expect this to happen, considering he told her that he was a good-looking guy...when he falls beneath the standards. Although, IMO, he isn't that horrible looking, he may not be the best looking guy but he's not ugly. Embarrassed he hides away from her. The events that take place in this movie make you laugh and fall in love with the characters.



I previously saw Shin Min Ah in My Girlfriend Is A Gumiho and I loved her acting as Mi Ho in that drama. Her role in this movie is different, but her acting is really well done. I've never seen Kim Kang Woo or Ryoo Seung Bum in anything else, but I really enjoyed watching them in this movie (:



The music isn't anything special, nothing really stood out to me.



I definitely can see myself watching this movie again, I loved it (:



Overall - watch it! If you're looking for something cute and funny it's definitely worth looking into (:

Leia Mais

This drama is definitely underrated! I started watching it because, well, my screen name is Crazy4you and the name of this drama is "Crazy For You" haha. I realized later that Yoon Kye Sang was also in it, and I was happy to see him in a main role after seeing him in The Greatest Love. The story isn't anything over-the-top. I was curious to see how it'd turn out, what were they going to do after they realized that the person that Chae Joon had killed was Jin Young's fiance? (Not a spoiler, it's in the synopsis and you see it happen in the very beginning of the drama)



The acting was pretty good. Again, I've seen Yoon Kye Sang in The Greatest Love and seeing him go from his adorable role as Yoon Pil Joo-ssi to a more serious one makes him a versatile actor. Although his character was adorable at times as well! I want to see more with him in it, he's a great actor (: And this was my first drama with Lee Min Yeon but I felt she did a really good job as Jin Young and really pulled off her emotions. Also the halmoni is the same one that was in Coffee Prince - I knew I saw her before but didn't realize until now that that was the drama I'd seen her in. The rest of the cast was great as well (:



I loved the music! I was surprised at hearing such a nice soundtrack to this drama. "Saranghe Michida" (Crazy For You/Crazy For Love) by Lee Soo Young is a really pretty song. I also loved the song "Never" by Yoon Yeo Min! And "Crazy For You" by Mr. Mimi (the artist's name makes me laugh haha).



I can see myself possibly rewatching this drama again, although not anytime soon that's for sure (look at my plan to watch list!)



Overall - I think it's worth giving a try! It's not overly serious, there are some light moments, but there is a good bit of drama. It may not be the best drama out there, but it's still a nice drama! So if you think it sounds like something you would like, add it (:

Leia Mais

Someone recommended me this drama back when it was airing, I remember I added it and stuck it on my list without thinking about it much. A little while ago we recently adopted a dog from the shelter that's an Alaskan Malamute mix and I came across this drama again. The fact that this drama revolves around sled dogs drew me into feeling the need to watch it (after all, the dog we took home is a sled dog breed). So I downloaded it and over the past few days I finally sat down and watched it. I wound up googling Sakhalin Huskies and discovered that the story behind this drama (the one from the original 1983 movie) inspired the movie Eight Below (which I thought was a great movie when I watched it). Unfortunately I also kind of spoiled a little bit about what happens to myself.

Anyways, the story itself is touching and heartwarming. The first few episodes are them working on setting up the exhibition, finding the dogs, and setting out to Antarctica. Like the last reviewer stated, how many dramas (Asian ones at that) settle around the Arctic? But not only that, this story is based off of a true one. While I'm sure they through in scenes to make it more moving and to draw you in more (which they did excellently by the way) most of what you see is how it really took place.

The acting was top notch. This is my first drama with Kimura Takuya and he really stood out in his role. His love for the dogs and his actions as a leader. Of course the rest of the cast was great as well, and I think Yamamoto Yusuke acted his best in this role.
The dogs were who really really stood out though. Again, like the last reviewer stated, how they got the dogs to act so perfectly in their roles amazed me. It was natural and realistic, everything they did and how they acted. And it added 10x more to the story. You can't watch this drama and not expect to get attached to the dogs and their teamwork and spirit. I can only imagine how well trained these dogs are.

The music fitted the drama, but it's nothing I'd really listen to outside of it. The instrumentals were moving and the actual ending song went along well with it.

I'm not sure when I'll ever rewatch this, but I can definitely see myself watching it again someday. It's a really good drama. I just can't see it happening for awhile (my next step is watching the original movie and then rewatching Eight Below and comparing the stories).

Overall, I feel this drama is a bit underrated on MDL. It's a drama about faith and encouragement and working together as a team. It's a drama that shows that the life of a dog is just as valuable as a life of a human. It's a drama that really pulls you in and leaves you with a bittersweet feeling. You can't watch this drama and not feel a single drop of emotion.

Keep a box of tissues by you!

This drama has a hint of romance, but it's not what it's about or focused on so don't expect much in that department. Same with Comedy. Expect discovery and teamwork and drama.

TL;DR?
Watch it!! It's worth your time!

Leia Mais

I've been wanting to watch something with Lee Min Ki ever since his cameo in Shut Up Flower Boy Band won me over. After watching Spellbound and now Dal Ja's Spring - I can honestly call myself a fan wanting to see more with him :D

To be honest, other than knowing I'd love Min Ki in this drama, I really had no expectations. I didn't really even pay attention to what the storyline was about before I started watching it. I just heard it was good and decided I must watch it. I haven't been this hooked on a drama in a long time - I watched it all in 4 days! I put everything else on hold and watched nothing but Dal Ja's Spring. I found the story that captivating.

By the end of the first episode I knew I'd love it. There was just something about it.... it's more than just your typical love story, it's more than a standard rom-com, it's more than a bunch of cliche's tossed together. And yes this drama definitely did follow the standard Kdrama cliches - but it added something original to it. The story was also more on the mature level, Dal Ja's narrations about life and people were the type that made me sit back and think.

The acting was really great! This was my first drama with Chae Rim but I thought she did an excellent job as Dal Ja. And Lee Min Ki was wonderful as well. I loved the chemistry they both had with each other - yet another reason to watch this drama (:

Also - the side characters were great as well. In the first episode you find yourself not liking Sae Do and Seon Joo, but as the episodes progress it's hard not to! I loved the relationships they all had, the friendships!

I found myself really loving a few songs off of the soundtrack - while others fit with the drama but didn't really catch on to me. My favorite is definitely the "Sha la la la la" song ("Take My Hand and Hold It")

I can definitely see myself rewatching this drama. I just finished it and I'm already missing it. This is one of those drama series that became a favorite very fast and one I'd love to own on DVD.

Overall? I think this is an underrated drama - if I hadn't of heard of Lee Min Ki and if I hadn't of seen a few people talking about it, then I might never of gotten the chance to watch this great drama! Yes, the drama is 5 years old. But don't let that turn you off from watching it. It's a refreshing type of drama - and different from your typical Kdrama. I highly recommend watching it. Even if it doesn't become one of your favorites, I'm sure there's a high possibility of at least liking it and enjoying it (:

There's a lot of sweet moments, funny moments, just overall great moments. Also, I found it hilarious how they used random music in scenes.

Don't think - just watch (:

Leia Mais

I remember watching the anime first a while ago, but I don't remember much about it other than the fact that I enjoyed it. After watching this drama I still enjoyed it - and loved it! It's a light drama for the most part, you have your silly moments - but you also have your heartwarming and moving moments. While there are some things about this drama that might seem cliche nowadays - you have to keep in mind that it came out almost 1O years ago and it was original for the time.



In the beginning you have all of these arrogant kids who start to change and mature as Yankumi becomes their teacher. She takes care of her students, she's always on their side. It's a drama that says "You can live by standing on your own two feet" - sometimes you just need a helping hand.



The acting is great - Part of my reason for wanting to watch this drama was for MatsuJun: the more I see of him the more I can see him as a great actor for his portrayal of different types of roles. The rest of the cast was great, too, no complaints.



The music is okay - they only really had 1 song that played at the end of the drama. The rest were instrumentals that fit the drama but didn't stand out to me.



I think I'll watch this drama again someday.



Overall: I think this is a drama worth watching. Remember that it came out in 2OO2, that it's also based off a manga. It gets better with each episode - I watched the last 7 episodes in one day. If you're looking for something light and comedic with characters that go through problems and mature - this is a good drama to watch (:

Leia Mais

To start off with - I don't know why this drama is categorized as a Romance drama on DramaWiki - there's very little to none in this drama. That aside, the drama was good without it. From the beginning I wasn't sure how I was going to like this drama, it's not that the story was boring, but it is a little slow in the beginning. What kept me going farther on is the mystery. This drama was more of a mystery/suspense/drama. It had me wondering what was going to happen next. Almost all of the characters gave me mixed feelings, at times I wasn't sure how I should feel about them. Especially Kim In Sook. As a main lead she's hard to understand and it's hard to like her because of that. Each episode made me wonder who exactly she was, what had happened to her to make her the person she became. Ji Hoon's character was one of the few characters I found myself liking from the beginning.



The acting was great! It was really good! I started watching this drama because Ji Sung is one of the main actors (Ji Hoon). After seeing him act in Protect The Boss I wanted to try another one of his dramas. To see him go from a more comedic role to something serious just proves he's a great actor. If you're a fan of his, this drama won't disappoint you when it comes to him. The main girl, Yum Jung Ah, did a really good job with her character. The other actors were great, as well.



The music fit the drama. There were a few songs, none of which stood out to me though. The instrumental part was good, the ending of each episode when the song plays made it out to be even more intense - and to see what happens next.



My rewatch value is low because although I found this to be a good drama, it's not something that became a favorite or something I'd want to rewatch more than once.



Overall - I think this drama is worth watching. If you're in the mood for something at a different pace aside from romantic comedies and such, this is a good drama to watch.

Leia Mais

I remember adding this drama to my list awhile ago and then I forgot about it. After stumbling across Peter Ho in Three Kingdoms [which I am watching at the moment, too], I rediscovered this drama again and decided to watch it. This drama starts off confusing, not more than 5 minutes into the drama you have a 5 year time jump. After the first few episodes things start to get a little less confusing - I found myself falling into the story and the characters and more things began to get revealed in the later episodes. The story is a little dark, and it's also unclear for most of the drama who the main male lead is - as they both have a lot of screen time and it's hard to figure out who exactly is the lead in the drama until later on. Both of them are some nice eye candy as well :p [for those that are interested]



The acting was done well for the most part. Barbie Hsu is an alright actress, I've seen her in Meteor Garden [she really doesn't look much different in the 1O years since that drama aired], and her acting is honestly just about the same as it was then. Not horrible but not the best. I mentioned above that I noticed Peter Ho in Three Kingdoms - so to see his contrast in characters makes me think that he is a good actor, as he played his part well and convincing. This is the first drama I've seen Huang Xiao Ming in and I think he's another great actor! I really felt for his character. Both of the guys - you could feel that they both loved Xia Mo [Barbie].



The music was really nice, I loved almost all of it! From Peter Ho's "Wo Ji De Wo Ai Guo" to Barbie Hsu's "Bubble Mermaid" were all nice songs. And the instrumentals were also nice and added emotion to the drama.



I'm not sure if I'll rewatch this drama anytime soon, or if I'll rewatch it again in the future. While I enjoyed it, it's not something I can see rewatching again.



Overall I think this drama is a little underrated, and it's a drama filled with romance and angst.



One thing I wanna add is Barbie's character, Xia Mo, is a character that I had a hard time liking. She's a character that's hard to related to, and she isn't open about her feelings.



And I'd also like to mention as a side note: I found out that this drama was based off a novel trilogy, which someone also translated online [all three books - dedicated!]. I plan on reading their translation and will post the link to those interested below in the comments box (:

It was also made into a manhua before being made into this drama series.

Leia Mais