Monsters

Japanese (Original) title: MONSTERS

8 episodes
Aired on TBS
From 2012 October to December

Main cast:

Katori Shingo as Hiratsuka Heihachi

Yamashita Tomohisa as Saionji Kousuke

Yanagihara Kanako as Takano Emi

Endo Kenichi as Kaneda Hajime

Notes:
- The official poster is so awful that I can't use it. So instead, you have this ->
- I'm more Without a trace/Criminal minds than CSI. And I don't like Detective Conan. So, if you do, don't listen to my opinion on detective series.

Review: -

Title: All murderers are monsters but this title implies more horror or disturbing whereas the drama is actually very clean. The voiceover says something about the ones who track murderers being also monsters...??? I didn't get it

Boy: He's a detective with mad deductive skills. He gathered all clues and in the third act, puts everything together. He has no consideration for anything or anyone. His only motivation seems to arrest murderers. His social behaviour is rude though he is extremely civil spoken.

Other boy: He's the Watson, the Hastings. He's an enthusiastic young policeman.

Plot: Every episode, a murder case is resolved. If the series wasn't only 8 episodes, I would have quit it because it's really repetitive. Except for the first and last episodes, there are always two suspects with one of them telegraphed as the murderer. The motive is established easily. The question is how it was done and the answer always revolve around manipulating the place or/and time of death.

Problem is I'm pretty sure the police can tell if it's a real crime scene and tell quite precisely the time of death when it happened a couple of hours ago. Especially if the victim has been stabbed... What about blood spilling?

So the structure of the episodes, the murder weapons, the motives (career advancement or preservation) are nearly identical episode after episode. Moreover, all victims are men, and only four suspects are women (including two in the first episode which have four suspects), an imbalance that I can't explain.

Other characters: Of course, the narrow minded police officer who's always wrong. Other boy's girlfriend that we only see in the first two episodes.

Most egregious cliché: Genius detective paired with naive sidekick.

Funny factor? It's trying.

Bottom line: This isn't my cup of tea. What I like in detective stories, it's being kept guessing, uncovering secrets and motivations. Focusing only on the how is intellectually interesting (superficially because it often requires suspension of disbelief) but doesn't get you as much emotionally invested as the who and why.

Nobuta wo Produce

Japanese title: 野ブタ。をプロデュース

Aired on NTV
From 2005 October to December
10 episodes

Main cast:

Kamenashi Kazuya: Kiritani Shuji

Yamashita Tomohisa: Kusano Akira

Horikita Maki: Kotani Nobuko

Toda Erika; Uehara Mariko

Ukaji Takashi: Kiritani Satoru

Nakajima Yuto: Kiritani Koji

Okada Yoshinori: Yokoyama Takeshi

Natsuki Mari: Catherine

Notes:
- Ignited my crush on you-know-who
- Seriously, everyone is in this drama!
- I rewatched it some months ago so review is from memories!

 

Review: Fav!

Title: Apt. Tells the premise.

Boy: He's popular, has a pretty and nice girlfriend but he's unsatisfied. Actually he forces himself to be nice so that people would like him.

Girl: Other people pick on her because she's weird. She always holds her head down, her face hidden by hair and talks with difficulty to people. But she really has a heart of gold.

Other boy: He doesn't care that people don't care for him. He's as weird as Girl though in a different way.

Plot / relationships: Though romantic feelings interfere as they're bound to, the main Relationship is the unlikely frienship between these three high school students. Each episode tells a self contained story that make the frienship grow.

What I really like about this drama is that under the weirdness, the emotional beats ring true, I was often moved. Also, it isn't predictable. It's confident, smart, doesn't hold back. It doesn't resort to easy magical fixes.

Other characters: It mostly take place at school though we follow Boy at home and sometimes Other Boy.

Funny factor? Yes but that's not what I liked best.

Music: I like the ending song.

Most egregious cliché: Friendship born from giving a makeover. Dream fakeout.

What the...? So many candidates for this category so let's stop at the first episode: a bookstore only allows good-looking people to read in.

Bottom line: Superficially, every character is weird but in the most important ways they behave like real people and I cared for them and their friendship. Do not watch in public.

Heaven's Wedding Gown

Taiwanese title: 天國的嫁衣 (天国的嫁衣)

Other titles: La Robe de mariée des cieux / La Robe de mariage des cieux / Bride from Paradise / La Robe de mariage

19 episodes
Aired on CTS/SETTV
From 2004 September to 2005 January

Main cast:

Cyndi Wan: Tao Ai Qing

Leon Jay Williams: Lu Zi Hao / Aaron

Ming Dao: Chen Hai Nuo

Terri Kwan: Katrina

Zhang Hong: Pei Ya Xi

Wang Zhi Yu: Sun Xiang Zhen

Qu Zhong Heng: Freddie

Cai Li Qun: Ah Bu

Zhao Shun: Tao's grandpa

Tao Chuan Zheng: Lu Zheng Guo

Wang Yue: Liu Yu Hong

Liu Xu Hao: Ji Pu Sai

Notes:
- Hello Huang Yu Rong (In love with a rich girl and My Lucky star - reunion!)
- Trigger warning: implicit sexual assault
- It's incredible that Other Boy doesn't get to be on the poster.

Review: +/-

Title: There are talks and glimpses of that gown but it isn't at the foreground. Also, it has no relevance to half of the drama.
 

Girl: Typical Girl in that cute, bubbly way. She's confident and outspoken. (+)

Boy: He's a fashion designer who wants to be independant from his father's big company. At first, he's an arrogant jerk but Girl sees his potential and as it turns out, he's perfect.

Other Boy: He's a professional motocycle racer. He's loyal and a good guy... but I didn't like that he was so intrusive and possessive with Girl.

Other girl: She's crazy. It's sad but interesting.

Plot/ Relationships: I wasn't bored watching. However, this drama suffers from the case that killed Alice in Wonder city: it's two-in-one. If I wanted to watch a drama about a racer, his crew and his brushes with mobbish guys, I wouldn't be watching something titled Heaven's wedding gown. Anyway, it works better because at the very least, stuff happens and the two parts intersect regularly, because there is only one hospital and one hotel in that city. And because of Girl who's torn between the two guys and their world.

Here is my main source of dislike. I don't care for extended love triangles. Everyone is unlikeable:

- The guys because they fight over the girl: she's mine, no she's mine, I'm giving her to you, I'm not losing to you... you see the gist, it becomes less about her (an object) and more about male ego. It is adressed directly in the drama but it doesn't make it less annoying episode after episode.

- The girl because as a character, her wants become confusing and (this is real life talking) she ends up using a guy she doesn't like by giving him hope even if she has good intentions. Girls, boys, don't do that. If you say you aren't in love with someone but act like you are, you're giving mixed signals and the hopeful person in love won't move on. I think friendship between guys and girls is possible but if one starts developing feelings but doesn't have the courage to stop seeing the other one, the other one has to scale down the intimacy. /End of the PSA.

Other characters: They were good! I like Boy's mother, Other boy's friends (Xiang Zhen (fierce) and Ah Bu) and the villains. One of them is of the best/worst kind: they are able to seem like they're helping when actually they are undermining you.

Funny factor? I kept a character for this category: Boy's over-the-top assistant. He is funny.

Music: At first, I found it dated but I got used to it. There is an insert song that I really like.

What the...? I'm not sure they had to start the drama in Paris but hey, why not? Also, the fashion is... not very good. Girl has to wear a (tiny but not that tiny) wooden horse around her neck.

Most egregious clichés: Insta-love. Soulmates. Weddingus interruptus. Star-crossed lovers missing each other by a hair (it happened three times).

Bottom line: Characters are great (except for Other's boy pushiness) but the drama would have been better off with fewer episodes.

Borrow your Love

Taiwanese title: 借用一下你的愛 (借用一下你的爱)

14 episodes
Aired on CTV
From 2013 March to June

Main cast:

Amanda Chu: Xie Ping An 謝平安

Dylan Kuo: Ye Chen 葉晨

Shi Yi Nan: Li Zi Wen 黎子文

Cherry Hsia: Xie Xi Le 謝喜樂

Linda Liu: Bai Ming Li 白明俐

Allen Chao: Li Shi Cheng 季世城

Huang Ke Jing: Ji Li Sa 季麗莎

Chen Qiao Wei: Li Huo Ying 季霍英

Notes:
Hello Mother from Autumn's concerto!
And I totally didn't recognise Amanda Chu from the same drama.
Hey Cherry Hsia! I just watched you on Alice in Wonder city.

 

Review: +/-

Title: I'm glad I have this category so I can say how bad this title is. The title is misleading because it screams romance while romance is not a focus. As for the synopsis from Dramawiki: "Xie Ping An and Ye Chen pretended to be a couple in order to hook up their friends. However, the mismatch duo find themselves attracted to one another instead.", it's just false: this is not the premise of this drama.

Girls: They are two orphans who have grown up together and who share a sisterly bond. Girl is brash while Other girl is sweet and timid.

Boys: Full disclosure, this is the first time I thought that I'd like to have a boyfriend like a Boy. And Dylan Kuo totally deserves a spot on this list. I'm just not sure who to kick out. (Edit: now, I know who to kick out, so he's on it.)

All four main characters are interesting and I cared about them. (++++)

Relationships: I'm going to talk about the relationships first. The drama starts with hallmarks of romance: multiple coincidental meetings, initial dislike, forced interaction... however, it becomes quickly apparent that the focus will be on Girls' relationship. I didn't mind. (+)

Plot: The plot is character-based. It advances briskly (which allows for Boy to figure things out and be smart). One piece of information I thought would last episodes before being revealed turned out to be the premise of the drama. (++)

However, the drama suffers from a fatal case of last episode syndrome. It should be obvious but apparently, it's not (see also Heartstrings). A finale is supposed to wrap up the threads, and possibly give us an epilogue. It SHOULD NOT introduce lame cliché pointless new threads that are resolved in ten minutes. There was something else I disliked but it's more subjective. (--)

Other characters: The villain is after my heart, complex with clear motivations, though crazy in execution.

But, there is another very important character who is introduced as ruthless, not only by other people but we also see them in action. Then, at the end of the drama, they're practically a saint. I mean, I can believe that they're not just a monster but I wish their greyer parts were still acknowledged just so I know I've been watching the same events as the characters. Unfortunately, some secondary characters who had potential are also inconsistent.

Most egregious clichés: Everyone is an orphan. Anyone can be CEO.

Funny factor? A scene made me laugh out loud for minutes. I kind of felt bad about it because it's really really really embarrassing.

As often, it gradually becomes darker, though there are still comedic moments.

Music: Serviceable

What the... ? Boy has the weirdest phobia.

Bottom line: While watching, I couldn't decide between a + or a +/-. I don't know why because the characters, the plot, the relationships, everything was compelling. Maybe it was some details, maybe I miss romance... Anyway, the ending sealed it for me: +/-

Alice in Wonder City

Taiwanese title: 給愛麗絲的奇蹟 (给爱丽丝的奇迹)
Other title: Give Alice a miracle

15 episodes
Aired on CTS
From 2012 May to September

Main cast:

Aaron Yan: He Ting Yu 賀霆宇

Xiu Jie Kai: Chen Hai Jie 陳海傑

Lara Veronin: Lan Die Fei 藍蝶菲

Tracy Chou: Alice

Yang Gui Mei: Jin Li Sha 金莉莎

Lin Li Yang: Tang Jin Cang 唐晉滄

Cherry Hsia: Lan Yu Shu 藍語書

Review: -

Title: A character is named Alice but she is no more prominent than the other three main characters so I don't know why she gets to be in the title. There are references to Alice in Wonderland but it doesn't amount to much.

Boy: He's kind of a manic dream guy.

Boy: He's a famous violonist who has been groomed by his overbearing mother to be the best. I think he was the character I was the most interested in.

Girl: She's the most ordinary. Later, there is something about her that comes from nowhere but I wish it could have given her some agency.

Girl: The aforementioned Alice. She's an interesting character trapped in a storyline that doesn't deserve her. See below.

Plot: I'm going to cover plot before relationships because here lies the explanation for the minus review. For once, the problem is easy to pinpoint: half of this drama is a terribad Lifetime movie in which nothing substantial happens but that still manages to take up so much screentime. Moreover, the gist of it is basic (McGuffin! Suspicious men in black!) but one part (Alice's identity) is needlessly confusing. Moreover (yes, that's the second one, I'm piling on it), the two "halves" don't feel organically or tonally or thematically related. It's like watching two dramas smashed together. By the way, the better half is about music, having talent and succeeding in the industry.

Also, some subplots just end abrubtly (no mention of Boy's sister's drama and barely any mention of Siren) and the ending drag.

Relationships: This is the drama's strongest suit. Friendship between three characters, family relationships, romance... I like how they were handled, people reacted like normal people. There are also some unusual reversals. If only the drama had kept focusing on these!

Funny factor: Not really.

Music: I love the theme songs by Lara Veronin. But I disagree with stripping this song from its powerful message. Finally, though I was not enamoured by the classical music pièces performed, I still appreciate hearing something different.

What the...: I could mention a lot of things but, to avoid spoilers, I'll just say that the timeline makes no sense, in a way that is distracting.

Most egregious cliché: Japanese baddies

Bottom line: Excising the storyline that sidelines Alice and thus making the drama more consistent, the drama could have taken advantage of the potential of its setting, of his characters and their relationships. Alas, it was not to be. (-)

My Lucky Star

Taiwanese title: 放羊的星星

Aired on TTV / SETTV
From 2007 March to July
20 episodes

Main cast:

Jimmy Lin: Zhong Tian Qi 仲天騏

Yoo Ha Na: Xia Zhi Xing 夏之星

Jennifer Hong: Ou Ya Ruo 歐雅若

Leon Jay Williams: Zhong Tian Jun 仲天駿

Lee Wei: Han Zhi Yin 韓志胤

Wang Dao: Zhong Wei 仲威

Dong Zhi Cheng: Guang Ming 光明

Liang Xiu Zhi: Board director Zheng 鄭董事

Notes:
- Hello Lawyer from Autumn's concerto!
- This is my second time watching after years and it's a Fav again!

- 2020 October 16th update: Third time watching and I still agree with myself. Fav!

Review: Fav!

Title: Meaningful. Girl's symbol is a star and she's Boy's lucky star.

 

Girl: She has a talent for designing jewellery but she uses her skills to counterfeit and is convicted for fraud. She's amazing, being strong to support others and also standing for herself when she's treated unfairly. (+)

Sidenote: The actress is obviously dubbed, something I find dumb, seriously, there wasn't any Taiwanese actress who could have played the role? However, though it's jarring at the beginning, I got used to it and Yoo Ha Na is perfect. She's very expressive and hits all the notes.

 

Boy: He's the second master (i.e. second son of the president) of a jewellery company but he doesn't want any part of it and goes to become a car racer. He's cocky and passionnate, willing to do anything to protect those he loves, but also willful and impulsive. And he's played by Jimmy Lin who is on this list. (+)

 

Other girl: She's a designer at the jewellery company who has worked hard to overcome her secret past. She's also a villain but one with motivations and you can almost find her pitiful. (+)

 

Relationship: Yeah! So much chemistry beween Boy and Girl. Their relationship is epic but at the most basic, they complement each other and challenge each other to become better persons. Moreover, though their social status are really different, their relationship is well-balanced. (+)

 

Plot: The pacing is really good, the obstacles and stakes aren't repetitive. I never got bored and it never stopped being addictive. Also, no weird last act. (+) Despite my enthusiasm, I have to note that the drama relies a lot on convenient accidental overhearing of key conversations, sometimes combined with unnatural speech. If I had to drink each time it happens, I wouldn't be able to write this review.

Funny factor? YES! YES! then less... then NOO!!!

Music: I wouldn't buy the OST but i like the songs and they compliment the drama.

What the...? I kind of feel bad for the Taiwanese villagers for how they are depicted.

Bottom line: Fav are subjective but while this drama uses cheap tricks, it controls them very well, avoids some clichés and benefits from great actors (I didn't say great acting). It also deals with almost deep issues. To conclude, be prepared to be invested in these characters' stories and to embark on a rollercoaster of emotions! Fav!!

Sungkyunkwan Scandal

Korean title: 성균관 스캔들

Aired on SBS2
From 2010 August to November
20 episodes

Main cast:

Micky Yoochun: Lee Sun Joon

Park Min Young: Kim Yoon Hee

Song Joong Ki: Goo Yong Ha

Yoo Ah In: Moon Jae Shin

Jun Tae Soo: Ha In Soo

Seo Hyo Rim: Ha Hyo Eun

Kim Min Seo: Cho Sun

Jo Sung Ha: King Jeongjo

Ahn Nae Sang: Jung Yak Yong

Lee Jae Yong: Ha Woo Kyu

Note:

I watched it just after Coffee Prince and I had seen Micky Yoochun as a nobleman previously in Rooftop Prince.

At the beginning, I expected this drama to be a Fav! Alas...

 

Review: +/-

Title: Not sure about the scandal (it makes me think of the superior drama Capital scandal) but it takes place around 1791 at Sungkyunkwan, a school that trains future members of government/public servants.

Girl: She has to make a living for her mother and sick younger brother. Since she's educated, as girls are not supposed to, she pretends to be a boy and writes letters, homeworks for students etc. She's warm, responsible and likes to study. The only negative is that I find that she is passive on several occasions and that Boy makes decisions for her.(+)

Boy: He's a strict, law-abiding, moral, big-on-principles nobleman. I like that type though he was a bit too stoic for my tastes. (+)

Other Boy: Hot-headed rebel. He's on my very short list of guys who look good with long hair. (+)

Other girl: She's a spoiled young girl but her love is pure and sincere. She's funny too. (+)

Relationship: I like how it developed but watching the character confused and tortured over his sexual orientation for nothing was frustrating. Moreover, since not much was happening on the "plot" side, it dragged. Meanwhile, you're just waiting for him to find out so the drama will get some momentum again.

Plot: The overarching arc is about the King wanting to build a better society by getting rid of the noble families' influence. For that purpose, he needs the McGuffingest McGuffing I've ever seen. I liked the depiction of a good King and of families' rivalries but this is never really developped. It's just talks in the background about how the McGuffin would fix everything. Yeah, sure.

Then, there are shorter arcs with more urgent stakes for the characters, the villain being the President Student. At first, these were interesting enough and yielded character developments. But at one point, I realised that the good guys were always doing the good things and the bad guys bad things and SPOILER ALERT failing. So in the end, there is no suspense and the stakes lose their power.

Other characters: There is a character who has an interesting trajectory. Side characters are also pretty good. The villain, however, is a terrible character. He's one-dimensional and has two expressions throughout the drama: expressionless - so is it actually just one? - and frowning menacingly.

Bonus factors: Period! Hats! Politics of that time!

Funny factor? Not much.

Music: OK. There was one song I liked.

Most egregious clichés: Girl pretending to be a boy. McGuffin.

What the... ? I will go with opening a very secret and big box in plain view. And hugging instead of running. Wait, I almost forgot... Other boy gets hiccups when he's with a girl. I have no idea why and what was the purpose of giving him that trait... Also, (trying hard not to spoil here) one character learns something important but never discusses it with anyone.

Bottom line: There are a lot of things to like in this drama (some characters, some developments about their relation to their family, the 18th century setting, the promising beginning) but then my interest withered away.

Oops! I forgot about one important character. It's telling that I forgot about her even though she's featured in several storylines. I think she's interesting but a bit "random". She's likable but in the end feels like a composite of several traits that don't totally add up.

Dating Agency Cyrano

Korean title: 연애조작단; 시라노

Aired on tvN and OnStyle
From 2013 May to June
16 episodes

Main cast:

Lee Jong Hyuk: Seo Byung Hoon

Choi Soo Young: Gong Min Young

Hong Jong Hyun: Moo Jin

Jo Yoon Woo: Ah Rang

Lee Chun Hee: Cha Seung Pyo

Bae Sung Woo: Min Shik

Kim Min Kyo: Young Dal

Ha Yun Joo: Hye Ri

Kim Jung Hwa: Yoon Yi Sul

Lee Min Woo: Go Do Il

Notes:

- I stopped watching at episode 12.

- I said somewhere that I stopped watching to re-watch Coffee Prince and that's because Gong Yoo has a cameo in one episode. Then I resumed this drama and then I stopped again to watch Sungkyunkwan Scandal... so yeah DNF!

Review: DNF

Title: The drama is based at the Dating agency Cyrano which orchestrates elaborate scenarios to make people fall in love with their clients.

Girl: I hated her look. I bet she would look 100% better with another hairstyle. Apart from that, she's okay. She's nice. But she has zero backstory. She's bland.

Boy: I'm not a fan of him as well. He's a director who returns to Korea to take care of the theatre Cyrano. Since he's a director, he's good at creating romantic scenarios. He's arrogant. And that's it.

Other boy: I didn't get him. He's a chef at a restaurant but he has a secret that just muddles his characterisation. And he knew Boy's best friend. Technically, it's a spoiler because it's revealed in a latter episode but it's so obvious.

Other girl: I almost forgot her. She was Boy's best friend's girlfriend. She pops up from time to time and we know next to nothing about her.

Relationships: Girl has more chemistry with a random guy from the first episode that we never see again than with Boy. Seriously, I thought she would end up with this guy (for five minutes until I realised we would never see him again). It's a bit better with Other boy but his character is terrible and hers is boring and there was no conflict so... wash. (-)

Plot: First, there are the stories of their clients that take around two or three episodes. At first, it was quite enjoyable and there was something interesting in the idea of realising the scenarios. But the drama fails in several ways:

- it clumsily clears the issue of lying to these people in the first arc. In a later arc, Girl befriends the target of their client and they become quite close. Then, when they succeed in making her fall for their client, she offscreen tells her she's out of her life. "Bye Bye, I have no moral qualms about manipulating you all this time." That's just bad.

- the scenario takes turns and ends up making no sense.

- one arc directly and emotionally involves a member of the agency but once it has ended, it has no bearings anymore on this character. (-)

Second, there is a kind of ongoing plot about Boy's past, his friend, and Other boy. But it's dished out so slowly, being completely dropped from several episodes, probably because there is not much to it, that I lost interest in that story. (-)

Other characters: Now that I think about it, the clients and their targets are more interesting than the core characters. But we never see them after the agency is done with them. When I stopped watching, the arc was okay but it was starting to drag.

Of course, there are the other two members of the agency. They suffer from the same case of underdevelopment than Boy and Girl. At least, one of them is slightly more interesting and gets to be in a cute relationship. He's also the only one who gets to evolve over the course of the drama.

Most egregious cliche: mouth-to-mouth resuscitation

Funny factor? It has its moments but on the whole, not really.

Music: OK.

Bottom line: The review ended up being more vitriolic than I expected when I quit watching. I thought it would just be: this drama just doesn't retain my attention. But when I analyse a bit more, I find out why it hasn't retained my attention. Boring characters and bad pacing of the ongoing plot first, then failure to properly execute the shorter arcs. (-)

Coffee Prince

Korean title:  커피프린스 1호점

Other title: The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince

Aired on MBC
From 2007 July to August
17 episodes

Main cast:

• Yoon Eun Hye as Go Eun Chan
• Gong Yoo as Choi Han Kyul
• Lee Sun Gyun as Choi Han Sung
• Chae Jung Ahn as Han Yoo Joo
• Kim Ja Ok as Han Kyul's mom
• Choi Il Hwa as Han Kyul's dad
• Kim Young Ok as Han Kyul's grandmother
• Park Won Sook as Eun Chan's mom
• Kim Chang Wan as Hong Gae Sik
• Kim Jae Wook as No Sun Ki
• Kim Dong Wook as Jin Ha Rim
• Lee Un as Hwang Min Yeop
• Yoon Young Ah as Go Eun Sae

Notes:
- This is the very first drama I watched back in 2007! I watched all of it in one day in one sitting after coming back from watching the sunrise, on the recommendation of Korean friends. It's the first time time I've rewatched it since, so it was funny to see what I remembered and what I had totally forgotten.
- It has Wikipedia pages in several languages!

 

Review: +

Title: Most of the drama revolves around reviving and working at "Coffee Prince" so it's appropriate.

Girl: She's boyish looking and acting so Boy thinks she's a boy. She's hard-working, strong-willed but also warm and she makes people feel at ease.

Boy: He's from a rich family but doesn't feel like marrying and working for the family business. He's a bit older than Girl but can behave quite like a child. He's affectionate and intense in his feelings.

Other boy: He's a composer and Boy's cousin. Unlike him, he knows from the start that Girl is... well a girl. He's more laid-back and friendly.

Other girl: She's a painter and she's in love with Other boy. Maybe flighty is too strong a word to describe her but she's a bit of that.

Plot/Relationship: Building the relationships and going through the hurdles. The plot is good but then gets less intense. I was less in a hurry to watch the next episode but I was caring for this couple so I would still watch it to the end. And when it was the end... i felt some withdrawal. The chemistry between Girl and Boy is strong and they feel perfect for each other. They are so cute together. Apart from finding each other, they also both find careers they like.

Families: I appreciate that his family wasn't the typical cold, affectionless rich family. And her sister was less annoying that I remembered!

Other characters: Mostly the guys who work at Coffee Prince. They each have their personality and their interactions are interesting and funny.

Main cliché: Girl pretending to be a boy.

Funny factor? Not really but cute bantering: yes.

Music: understated but nice.

What the...? One character is quite gross (like "please, I'm eating!") and I will never understand why Korean dramas insist on showing us people on toilets.

Bottom line: It's an excellent drama. I actually started watching  Cyrano Dating Agency and I thought of rewatching Coffee Prince. Result: I completely stopped Cyrano Dating Agency to watch all of Coffee Prince. It deserves the success it has had (+)

Star no Koi

Japanese title: スタアの恋
Other titles: Star struck / Love with a super star

11 episodes
Aired on Fuji TV
From 2001 October to November

Main cast:

Fujiwara Norika: Kirishima Hikaruko

Kusanagi Tsuyoshi: Nakata Sosuke

Ukaji Takashi: Saegusa Eiji

Katsumura Masanobu: Koganei Akira

Kakei Toshio: Jiya Yoshitaro

Furuta Arata: Ushiyama Mamoru

Hasegawa Kyoko: Koizumi Tsubomi

Anzai Hiroko: Hyuuga Reiko

Toda Keiko: Tatsukawa Midori

Morimoto Leo: Kinanaka Torao

Azuma Mikihisa: Ichikawa Ryutaro

Notes:
- Hello Father from Nobuta wo Produce AND Oh! My girl!! Also hi, Boss from Oh! My girl!!
- This is the oldest drama I've watched. So you know it must be good to keep me watching till the end despite the weird image quality (and bad fashion).

 

Review: +

Girl: She's a megastar and has been an actress since her childhood. She sometimes acts like an entitled child but she's been very sheltered and used to get whatever she wants. However, she's also not afraid to take risks to prove herself. Fujiwara Norika is, I gathered, quite a star herself, and she really has something that's not showy but that makes you believe she's so famous and has all these guys around her finger. (+)

Boy: It's like they did eveything they could to make him look sub ordinary. He's short, floating in his clothes so, you know, not your usual drama lead. But again, he makes you believe that women would fall for him. He works at a company specialised in selling ham and he's dedicated to his work. He's also good at Japanese archery. He's quiet but not timid and has self-confidence. (+)

Plot/Relationship: It's all about how their lives intersect though they shouldn't. It manages to keep my interest and though the Relationship between Girl and Boy is the focus, Girl's growth as an person and an actress is also part of the story as well as some development for secondary characters. (+)

Other characters: His co-workers, an eccentric director, her agency's employees and some boyfriends.

Main cliché (New category alert!): the star and the commoner. It's interesting to note that it's often the woman who is the famous actress. As always, the drama is inconsistent as to whether people recognise the famous one. When it's convenient, all bystanders recognise her and sometimes, they just don't.

Bottom line: I care for these characters and their struggles. +

Labels

I started labelling the posts to make them easier to find and it is pretty amusing to link the dramas to tropes.

I label tropes, actors/actresses and the nationality (Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese)

About actors/actresses labels:

I only label when the actor plays one of the main characters, usually the most important. I also include them when their character is less important if I believe them to be famous or if they appear in several dramas I've watched. Similarly, not all actors/actresses labels appear on the cloud on the left of the page: only the ones I decide are important based on how many reviewed dramas they appear in and how popular they are.

About tropes:

The copyright belongs to foreveryoungadult.com for "Mysterious loner dude". I hope I'm not misusing it!

"Mother-knows-best" was inspired by Tangled.

"Nice guy TM" has acquired a specific meaning, for guys who feel entitled to sleeping with you because they have been nice to you. They are usually the ones who laments being "friendzoned". This not my "Nice guy" label which is in opposition to the "arrogant jerk" trope.

Oh! my girl!!

Japanese title: オー！マイ・ガール！！

9 episodes

Aired on NTV
From 2008 October to December

Main cast:

Hayami Mokomichi: Yamashita Kotaro

Yoshida Riko: Sakurai Anne

Kato Rosa: Fuji Mineko

Tomosaka Rie: Yasuno Makiko

Okada Yoshinori: Ishida Ken

YOU: Ozora Hinako

Furuta Arata: Sugawara Hirofumi

Kaga Takeshi: Ishizaka Kazuo

Notes:
- Hello Little Hotaru! And you, co-worker from Star no Koi! Oh! And from Star no Koi there is also in one episode the manager!
- Rewatching

 

Review: +

Title : That’s the kind I remember: generic and nonsensical. Besides, the exclamation marks are ridiculous.

Boy : He works for a magazine writing article but his dream is to publish a novel. Meanwhile he writes cheesy « cellphone novels » which is something you write with your phone on an online platform. He’s an idealist (cynics would say « loser »).

Girl : She’s his 6-years-old niece and before you think "What’s this drama? That'’s illegal and creepy." this drama is not romance. I don’t know what this genre is called but it is the one in which a grumpy old man begrudgingly befriends a neglected cute kid. Except, here, the man is young and handsome.

Back to girl, she’s a child actress, she’s spoiled, she’s very poised with people, unfazed by her fame and a true professional. But she’s still very much a kid : she throws tantrums, sulks and needs to be taken care of.

Girl : She’s Girl’s manager/assistant. Mmm, now that I think about it, she doesn’t have much of a personnality besides doing her best at her job. But it wasn’t distracting while watching and she’s a likable character who felt real. (+)

Plot : Each episode is self-contained while building the overall story. People grow, learn things, there are real emotional stakes, it doesn't strain plausibility too much. (+)

Other characters: There is a single mother who's a co-worker of Boy and his confident. His boss who's too lenient with Boy considering that he skips work a lot. The enemy, a fellow journalist who takes his job seriously so though his personality is quite bad, you understand his frustration with Boy. Finally, there are Girl's mother who is really selfish and the President of their agency. Oh, I almost forgot the neighbours - I think they're supposed to be funny but they were more annoying to me.

Funny Factor? A little.

Music: Good.

What the...?: Girl and her mother live together and no one has figured out that they are related?

Bottom line: Though I was totally shipping some characters, it's more a family show than a romance. It's an enjoyable drama that delivers emotional moments and did not make me cringe. (+)

 

Paradise Kiss (film)

Japanese title: パラダイス・キス

116 minutes
June 4, 2011
Directed by Shinjo Takehiko

Main cast:

• Kitagawa Keiko: Hayasaka Yukari
• Mukai Osamu: Koizumi Jouji "George"
• Yamamoto Yusuke: Tokumori Hiroyuki
• Igara Shunji: Isabella
• Omasa Aya: Sakurada Miwako
• Kaku Kento: Nagase Arashi
• Kato Natsuki: Asou Kaori
• Hada Michiko: Hayasaka Yasuko
• Takahashi Hitomi: Koizumi Yukino
• Ogi Shigemitsu: Nikaido Joichi

Notes:

- So many familiar faces!

- I haven't read the manga by Yazawa Ai it is based on nor watched the anime adapted from the manga. However, there is an AMV I've liked that uses the Paradise Kiss anime and I was wondering how the movie would handle some of the contents...

Review: +/-

Title: Paradise Kiss is the name of the fashion brand that Boy's created with his friends. They want Girl to wear their dress at their runway competition organised by their fashion school.

Girl: She's been studying since she was little to get into the best schools. She's actually not very good at it and she doesn't like it but her mother has been pressuring her. She has her own mind but she just doesn't know what she wants to be. (+)

Boy: Of course he's a Genius at fashion design (me? not convinced). He also has a dark magnetism at the beginning of the movie. (+ at the beginning, - at the end).

Other boy: Smart, good-looking, kind... perfect but bland. Girl's had a crush on him for years but he's never loved her back for reasons we learn in the movie even though I didn't care.

Plot/Relationship: The positive first: Girl and Boy have good chemistry.

However, the story really deserved to be told in a drama. Or more storylines/characters should have been cut. As it is, decisions happen too fast, things happen that should lead to developments but don't, characterisations suffer.

Moreover, Boy's character gets diluted so much that he becomes a cliché.

And, technically, it's a SPOILER, but I think it's more of a warning to those who know the manga or the anime: the ending has been changed. Be prepared. (-)

Other characters: They were more background than fully developed characters.

Funny factor? Not really.

Music: I only remember "Everthing gonna be alright" because that scene was memorable.

WTH: I don't know if it's as important in Japan to be tall, but it was hard to believe that Girl could have a career in modelling when she's always the smallest person in the room. + Some designs were quite ugly (my opinion for what it's worth) + you know I'm not really into a movie when I wondered where Girl left her suitcase.

Bottom line: I spend a nice moment watching this movie, Kitagawa and Mukai were good but the story deserved better than whatever the Japanese version of being hollywoodified is. (+/-)

After the jump, I will complain about what happens (or does not happen) in the movie so... spoilers!

The Accidental couple

Korean title: 그저 바라보다가
Other title: That Fool

16 episodes
Aired on KBS2
From 2009 April to June

Main cast:

Hwang Jung Min: Goo Dong Baek

Kim Ah Joong: Han Ji Soo

Joo Sang Wook: Kim Kang Mo

Note:
- There are more important characters, I guess, but I only made it to the 2nd or 3rd episode, some time ago.
- Kim Ah Joong was the lead actress in the 2006 movie 200 Pounds Beauty.

Review: DNF

Title: Appropriate. That Fool is even more appropriate

Girl: She is a famous actress.

Boy: He's... I have no words to describe it. I labelled the review "Nice guy" because I don't want a "Stupid guy" label.

Other guy: He's a rich heir type.

Plot/relationship: I stopped so early that I have no idea what is supposed to happen, except obviously something between Boy and Girl. I remember some politician stuff going on with Other guy.

Other characters: his co-workers

Funny factor and music: not good enough to keep me watching.

Bottom line: I think it is interesting to have a drama that switched roles and features a clumsy and naïve Boy. Unfortunately, he was too much like a puppy or a child and his flaws were more annoying than cute. I have no idea if he turns into a viable love interest at some point in the drama but I know I don't need to stay for the ride.

Autumn's Concerto

Taiwanese title: 下一站，幸福
Other title: Next Stop, Happiness

21 episodes
Aired on TTV/SETTV
From 2009 October to 2010 February

Main cast:

Ady An: Liang Mu Cheng 梁慕橙

Van Ness Wu: Ren Guang Xi 任光晞

Chris Wu: Hua Tuo Ye 花拓也

Tiffany Hsu: He Yi Qian 何以茜

Zheng You Jie: Xu Fang Guo 許方國

Linda Liu: Fang De Rong 方德容

Renzo Liu: Lawyer Lin 林律師

Tao Chuan Zheng: He Zhen Tang 何振堂

Xiao Xiao Bin: Liang Xiao Le 梁曉樂

Lin Mei Xiu: Hua Tian Xi Shi 花田喜氏

Amanda Chu: Hua Ci Xin 花癡心

Note: I want to issue a trigger warning: sexual harassment and violence on woman. My memories of this drama were so grim that it's only my second viewing though I was remembering quite liking it.

Review: +

Title: That's what I'm talking about! This title sounds good but makes no sense. I have no idea if this drama takes place in autumn and yes, a piece of music plays a role but I don't think it's a concerto (Wiki tells me it's the second movement in an orchestral suite).

 

Boy: See the label "Arrogant jerk". However, Girl comes to love his sense of right and his passion. He's straightforward, brave and smart (though it's more tell than show, at least we see him at work). (+)

 

Girl: At first, she's kind of perfect and you understand why guys like her. She's kind-hearted, smart hardworking and she never complains. She goes through so much that you just admire her. Moreover, she's not naïve nor dripping with optimism. She is a caring person who has a sense of self. (+)

 

Other boy: Typical I-pine-for-years-for-my-girl-friend-even-though-she's-clearly-shown-me-that-she's-not-interested guy. I didn't like this character because he's too good to have been "friend-zoned" so early, he feels a bit too much like a plot device and that much devotion makes me uncomfortable.

 

Other girl: Her love is not as built as Girl's love but she's so nice and her feelings are so sincere that you feel for her.

 

Plot/Relationship: The plot consists in obstacles thrown the way of the main characters. But it's okay since their relationship is believable and compelling. Unfortunately, there is a mob subplot which is intertwined with the main story but which is too violent for my taste. Also, the ending was totally rushed for no apparent reason. It seemed like they realised at the last minute that they only had one episode left. But good chemistry and building so (+).

 

Other characters: Terrible mother and stepmother, wise aviser, over-the-top villagers, over-ambitious rival...

 

Funny factor? Not really (except Boy's assistant, I <3 you), the Melo factor is high.

 

Music: Yes!

 

Bottom line: This is a very good drama with a convincing couple, generally successful characterisations. The pace is excellent (except towards the end and the mob stuff). (+)

 

P.S.: I advise you not to give up if you're annoyed by the flashbacks in the first episodes. It stops later. But seriously, note to whoever is responsible: flashbacks to an entire scene that happened in the same episode IS NOT necessary (and is not a good way to pad an episode if that was the intent).