Reviews

Alrighty! So I absolutely love the original Korean drama, but I also absolutely loved Ikemen Desu Ne as well. I just completed this drama, when I first started it I attempted to do so immediately after watching You're Beautiful. That just didn't work, but after a hearty 6 months in between I can truly appreciate the loveliness of it. They changed enough of the story to keep one interested plus it is much shorter than the Kdrama. This is fantastic because it is painful to watch angst filled episodes when one already knows the outcome (well for me atleast :P ). I really liked how they fleshed out some of the side characters a bit more like Mio's aunt and the director of the company. I also think Shu's character had a bit more depth here. The only character I really wish there was more development in was Yuuki. Perhaps this was a good thing though as one's heart is not wrenched out here as it is in the kdrama.

Acting and Music wise it was extremely well done. A lot of the same songs were present but altered. The actors all did a wonderful job. The gal acting as Mio was just wonderful and brought a sweet spirit to her without coming across as a ditz.

If you've seen You're Beautiful, give this a shot. It is a Japanese drama through and through, don't look for something exactly like the Korean one, it is fun because it is different. I don't think one can say this one is better or truly worse than You're Beautiful because Kdramas and Jdramas have such different themes and stylings.

Anyway lovely drama, hope some folks give it a shot!

Leia Mais

Jin was a Jdrama I have been rooting for until the second season came out. I was slightly disappointed with how things ended, maybe it's me or rather the romantic side of me got ahead and decided this drama would not be listed as one of my favorite watch of all time.

Setting that aside though, I still enjoyed Jin 2 in all it's glorious details about the Tokugawa-Shogunate era in Edo. I loved the cinematography and the actors. These actors by the way aren't like the average newbies or jpop idols who could only pose on screen and look good. These actors are veterans who has a couple outstanding dramas and movies under their belts to boast of.

My favorite character would be Tachibana Saki acted by Ayase Haruka. What's so interesting about her character is the fact that she's the only female doctor who has chosen her own path, away from a samurai clan. This being said, women with strong aspirations in life gives lasting impressions.

Music wise, the drama had a good OST. The ballad on every dramatic scene was in perfect sync and feel. I also like the theme song Itoshiki Hibiyo by Hirai Ken, it felt like every time I would hear it, I would feel Minakata Jin's internal turmoil.

I may not watch this again, but I would highly recommend it to people who like Japanese History and is into sci-fi-medical drama and all the likes.

Leia Mais

This drama is awesome!!! If you like psychologically disturbing, deeply emotional, life questioning dramas, then you will like this. I don't know if I am qualified to write a review for something this emotionally provoking.

The synopsis for this drama doesn't even begin to tell the story. It is dark, but somehow gives hope. The story is very detailed and all the characters are intricately combined. The imagery as well as the references to Dante's inferno and Rodin's Gateway to Hell etc. trigger so many emotions and elicit so many thoughts. The use of the tarot cards throughout gives answers and brings questions. I was blown away by the way each character’s story is told. The cinematography was so well done. There were so many scenes that I thought were perfectly portrayed. There are very few times in this drama when I knew what was going to happen next. I watched this ***with my sister, finally someone to watch drama with*** in a few days because it was hard to stop due to the perfect pacing of the drama. I almost felt desperate to know what was going to happen next. The ending is one of the best that I have ever seen. I would give this drama a 10 for the ending alone. This isn't a romance and there is no fairy tale. If that is what you want to watch, then this is not the drama you are looking for.

The acting is beyond great. Uhm Tae Woong plays Kang Oh Soo who is the detective of this drama. I won't try to tell his story, because it is too complex. I have liked Tae Woong as an actor for a long time, but his portrayal of Kang Oh Soo’s good, bad, and ugly emotions is perfect. It is hard not to find this character pitiful and lovable. Joo Ji Hoon plays Oh Seung Ha. This character is so multifaceted. He is cold but just by using Ji Hoon’s expressions, I knew there was more to him. There is no way that I could not be sympathetic to his character. I have seen Ji Hoon in Goong and Antique Bakery. I liked him in both, but I really had no idea that he could pull something like this off. It makes me want to watch Five Fingers next. I love Shin Min Ah. She is one of my favorite actresses. I don’t know why she isn't in more dramas. I’m really enjoying her in Arang and the Magistrate also which is airing right now. I hope she does many, many more. Her portrayal of Seo Ha In is so good. She IS the light in this drama. There are so many more characters that make this drama worth watching. Usually I get annoyed with secondary stories and lots of secondary characters, but for this drama every character had his/her place and the actors did a great job of bringing those characters to life.

Honestly, I couldn't tell you what music was played in this drama. I can say though that it wasn't annoying like some music in a melodrama can be.

I will rewatch this at some point.

I recommend this to anyone who likes revenge and psychological dramas.

Leia Mais

OK I am not 1 that goes all 10's on any drama. There is usually something that I don't like, but this drama just hit my top 10. I was so blown away by how it kept me guessing the whole time. It was amazing. I loved every part about it. The acting totally killed, the music was exactly right, loved the story, & I will watch it again just b/c it was that good!

There is a big red tip here that says not to post spoilers. So I won't, but man let me tell u I was soooooo not disappointed by any part of this drama. I enjoyed all the main actors & loved the ending. It was exactly how I would have ended it. I think that even if u don't like melodrama's that this 1 would change how u think about them. It was totally killer.

Leia Mais

Loved this drama front to back! Never once did the writing fail or leave any loose ends.

addition to the screen and the romance between the characters of Park Ji Heon and Kim Yeon Woo is both touching and comedic in parts. If you like medical / sports dramas this is the story for you. This has a great talented cast that make this story so worth watching. I started this drama and couldn't stop watching it.

Someday I would love to see Jung Suk Won as a leading man he's always a charismatic character he eats up the screen.
Shin Dong brought great heart and comedy to his character in this role I hope to see him in more dramas soon.

Leia Mais

Reply1997 is One of the best drama in 2012 for me. Return on this Outstanding drama !!

For the Story --> The sory is not very impressive and very simple ! But it's led well ! Most of the time, we laugh! But we pass by many feelings! I managed to be very touched! There are also many suspens!

For Casting/cast --> Ouah ! It's the key point of this drama ! EunJi and SeoInGuk are incredible and the others play very well !! It's especially Eunji who impressed me, because she cracks the screen!

For the Music --> The music isn't the key point ! That's true, the story is about fans ! But I can't say the music is omnipresent ! I just love "All for one" ... that's the only song i can remember ! ^__^

Finally, I loved this drama ! It brings some freshness, tenderness, and reassure all the fans! We are no every madmen!And I love The End ! ... No i must keep the suspens ! ^__^

A BIG 10/10 For me !

Leia Mais

1) The reason I watched this:

Strictly because of the fuss that went around this drama which is something I rarely do but at the time, I wanted to know the reason that made this drama rank #1.

2) Storyline/Plot:

I would say that this is one of the most unique storylines out there; it's really rare to find this type of story in Korean dramas industry that's why it seemed intriguing to watch.

Positive Points:

*Even though the main topic was about Kpop culture, the storyline didn’t ignore other important angles. Yes, I was trying to be objective and look away from Kpop madness in this drama yet I don't believe I was bothered by that element simply because it felt like a core here.

*Smart writing: Yes, script writers are brilliant; they can change time and space within a fraction of a second but you can never lose interest in events. Even though it’s not a time travelling drama, events between the past and the present were really great, it makes you ask a lot of questions while creating that beautiful feeling of noble anticipation.
The script felt natural, it was dramatic without over doing it, the absence of cliche made it more attractive. It was REAL, yes that’s the perfect word for the storyline, writers managed to make it believable without exercising too much effort. It touched real life, even if there was an important part about overly obsessive fans it felt warm enough to touch many heart out there.

--->;Humor: One more time, it was “Real”; it’s one of the fewest Korean dramas that were funny in a realistic way. Laughing over many scenes would make the drama light-hearted and short since it was an important element that can make serious moments disappear.

--->Romance: it was cleverly divided between the past and the present which created questions and a lot of waiting moments. It was one of the coolest and most believable romantic stories out there. Let’s add that the development created some great anticipating moments.

Negative Points:

None! I don’t think I said this before but I want to address script writers with *CLAPS*

Story: 10/10

3) Acting/Cast:

*Let me say this: I am barely familiar with some of this drama’s casting; I haven’t seen the main two leads in anything before but Wow, it was amazing to see those future talents here.

*Each and every character was really interesting (except Shi Won who was a bit annoying at the beginning), Jun Hee was one of the best characters out there and let’s not forget Shi Won’s parents who added a different taste to this drama since they weren’t the usual boring Korean parents, their characters touched the universal scale.

*Relationships:

--->Friendship: The most important relationship in this drama! Four boys and two girls created a great atmosphere and believable friendship moments. It was one of those relationships that you won’t get tired of watching including Yoon Jae and Shi Won’s best friends relationship.

--->Romance: It felt light with a lot of chemistry. All the pairs in this drama were greatly done even triangles that felt really different and attracting.

Cast: 8/10.
Acting: 9.5/10

4) The ending:

It was a great ending; it delivered nice emotions without being over-done.
The ending: 8.5/10.

5) My impression (How did it affect me):

*Reply 1997 is one of those dramas which I felt its value after I finished it. Even though I am not into Kpop or into obsessive fan girls, I was able to manage H.O.T and the other groups Die-Hard fans mentioned in the drama. I am not saying that I liked them nor understood them it but I didn’t mind their existence like I usually do.

*At first, I was a little bothered by Busan’s dialect but later on, it felt natural.

*Is this drama memorable: Sure it is! Though, I may not remember Kpop madness but I will surely remember the beautiful realistic storyline and some of the cast that gave me great moments while watching them and let’s not forget that I had a respectable amount of laughs which made it more enjoyable.

My impression: 9/10

6) Overall:

*If you’re into Kpop, I am sure you’d enjoy/like this.
*If you’re looking for a different realistic storyline you’d like this.

*Reply 1997 is one of the greatest dramas out there mainly because of its real script and its believable events plus it contained talented actors whi made it more enjoyable.

Overall: 9/10.

Leia Mais

Alright, it's been awhile since I've watched this, but I have to say this is one of the most under-appreciated dramas ever! I have no idea why no one (that I know of) have watched it yet, and why it has only received a 7.05. But anyway... I usually don't rewatch movies/shows but this is one thing that I'm willing to spend another 16 hours on because it was SO DAMN GOOD! The actors were just fabulous - smexy AND good at acting. ;) The music was fitting for the situations. The story and atmosphere itself was very relaxing, funny, yet exciting and climactic at the same time! The only downside I have to say is that the ending was a bit rushed, but regardless, it's still a must-see drama especially if you're into medicine/martial arts, I highly recommend trying this out. The first episode itself will have you hooked! Overall, I'd give it a 10/10. ;) Enjoy and drop me a message on your opinion of it. :) Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Leia Mais

I have to say I enjoyed this special more than the drama. While the drama got repetitive with the going back in time, this had just the right ammount. The plot of this was excellent and I liked how the premise was helping to prevent what happened at the original wedding of Tsuru and Eri. I loved how this tied up some of the loose ends of the drama and the ending scene itself was really cute between Ken and Rei.

Ken's character changed a lot for the better. All the other characters as well matured and changed for the better too. I thought the acting in this was a huge improvement to the drama.

Ost for this was great as well and I would definately rewatch this over the whole drama itself as this has a good story.

Leia Mais

The plot of this drama is definitely unique for a RC and I enjoyed the general premise of going back in time to try and fix your mistakes to get a different outcome. What I really didn't like was how long it took Ken to actually speak his feelings to Rei, which made the drama drag. The first few episodes were good, the middle ones were hit or miss, and the very last episode or two were good again.

The acting by all parties was ok. Ken's character was a bit flat and uninteresting. Rei's character I enjoyed and I thought her acting was spot on. All their friends had fun characters that added a lot to the story and without them it wouldn't have been as good. Tada-san's character was also a bit flat as well and at first I didn't really care for it at all.

Music- I loved the soundtrack of this drama and the ending ost was great. I'm going to have to see if I can dig up some sheet music for the songs as I liked them so much.

Rewatch value- is so, so as although I may rewatch sometime I think I would skip a few of the middle episodes since now that I know the plot it wouldn't be all that detrimental.

Leia Mais

The cases were more ingenious here plus there’s less focus on autopsy procedure, whether that gives the series a better feel or not is probably debatable. I’ve always planned to watch this season but I’ve been reluctant to start it due to the unsatisfactory little shambles thrown from its last season. I’ve written a comment about it, though without a proper review, I don’t expect anyone would even sympathize with my ramblings.

I’m actually relieved the love story and romance was taken out this season to give it a more ominous tone instead. I personally find it effective and compared to the religious undertone that was wrapped around Season 2, for this one to dip its foot on thriller ground was more enjoyable to watch. The mystery surrounding Dr. Han Jin Woo’s illness, which forms the overarching storyline every season, was creatively orchestrated this time around. I’d say it’s 3-notches improved version of Season 1 (See, I’m notably skipping Season 2 here…)

Quite re-watchable because it’s a short series, and each episode stand as your mini mystery, detective story. Because of this format, you can easily park this on each episode. However, there is in fact an addicting factor that might just pull you in to marathon the series. Dr. Han’s mystery is only sprinkled in the tiniest drop in each episode and mostly at every end, so this cloaked mystery might compel you to unravel it quickly for your own peace of mind.

So, without further ado, I say this is indeed the best season so far, hopefully not the last. Everything's improved here: The actors and the act, the camera work, the lighting, the story, even a new antagonist to parallel Jung Ha Yoon (of the first 2 seasons). Of course, its not perfect, take for example some episodes that didn't get polished details, but those are minor and can easily be overlooked. I think that bringing in the veteran character actor Ahn Nae Sang had definitely clothed this drama in a better form. I'm all for a strong female character but somehow Detective Kang Kyeong Hee just didn't work as well for me especially in the last season. We get a cameo though and I feel that was good enough. Ryu Doek Hwan is given a new range in acting and he's shaping up well, I can imagine him turning out like Ahn Nae Sang when he's aged.

Spoilery alert 1: Anyone who's already watched Syndrome might find Dr. Han's mini-arc familiar ground.

Spoilery alert 2: When cases doesn't involve rare diseases, they tend to be less thrilling, well because they're already familiar plots.

Spoilery alert 3: There's an episode that I'm pretty sure was inspired by a neo-noir French film '13 Tzameti'.

Spoilery alert 4: It takes 10 episodes before you get an introduction to the new villain in this series but if I remember this is same format as in Season 1.

Pretty awesome finale, yeah, so go watch it now!

Leia Mais