Toshi no sakon

 

Japanese title: 年の差婚

Other title: May-December Marriage / May-December Couple

8 episodes

Aired on MBS/TBS from 2020 December to 2021 February

Main cast:

• Aoi Wakana as Murakami Maiko
• Takezai Terunosuke as Hanasato Harumi
• Matsumoto Wakana as Nishikawa Miyuki
• Onodera Akira as Rion
• Yoshino Hokuto as Sean Ichinose
• Kawai Aoba as Takeda Yukari
• Tokui Yuu as Sakita
• Fukikoshi Mitsuru as Murakami Genichiro
• Kohinata Seiichi as Takeda Shoichi

 Notes :

• So I don't know if it's a coincidence or a trend or if Japanese dramas have changed a lot in recent years, but this is the third installment of what I want to call the "From 0 to 100" trilogy, alongside In House Marriage Honey and Coffee & Vanilla. Out of the three, it is this one I prefer. Their shared characteristics : short runtime, couple gets together and go all the way (intense affair or marriage) in the first episode, limited characters and world building. 
• This review is unfinished, I started it on October 2022 and I don't remember enough to finish it but I still want to post it so it's positioned after the other two. I will watch it again and I will edit the post.
  

 Review

Title : Is self-explanatory. 44 year-old man and 24 year-old woman are set up by her father, hit it off, get married.

Girl : She's cute and super straight-forward.

In House Marriage Honey

Japanese title: 社内マリッジハニー

Other title: Shanai Marriage Honey

7 episodes

Aired on MBS from 2020 November to December 

Main cast:

• Itagaki Mizuki as Miura Manatsu
• Matsui Airi as Haruta Ami
• Wada Hayate as Matsushita Kazuya
• Oshida Gaku as Yamagata Yuki
• Miyata Tappei as Hori Ryuhei
• Nakamura Riho as Sakaguchi Sumika
• Asami Himeka as Miwa An
• Tateishi Toshiki as Mochizuki Kaimi
• Hyodo Katsumi as Nishitani Kentaro
• Kijima Asuka as Shinkawa Marina

Production credits:

• Original work: Manga by Fujiwara Emi
• Screenwriter: Uchihira Mio, Shimo Ayumi
• Director: Morita Ryo, Shingu Ryohei

Notes:

• So I watched this drama right after Coffee and vanilla, and they share a lot of similarities but I actually finished watching this one for reasons I will explain. It's also 7 episodes of 20 minutes so not that time-consuming.
  
• I also watch this one on Viki, with comments, and I didn't read the manga it's based on. 
• Again, warning: no explicit content but every aspect of marriage is covered if you know what I mean.
  

 

Review: -/+

Title: Two strangers get married on the day they met for... reasons. And then they realised that they work at the same company. Hence the title.

Girl: She's bubbly, outspoken and an accountant. Also "cunning". Be prepared to read this word (or the equivalent depending on subtitles) a lot. If you make it a drinking game, you would get very drunk.

Boy: He works at sales. He acts aloof but he's actually very cute.

Plot/ relationship: So there is no plot, because there are almost no conflict, and whatever conflict there is, it's resolved quicky and without too much angst. Which is refreshing in a way. Healthy communication in a drama is very rare. In this one, they have a problem or a misunderstanding, they just talk and it's resolved. On the downside, the main conflict is based on a motivation that doesn't make much sense and I feel like their reasons to get married with a stranger, which is the premise of the drama, aren't strong enough.

Other characters: They all have paper thin characterisations, and almost all of them are coworkers.

Funny? Yes. Usually Girl embarassing herself and Boy teasing. Also some expressions and reactions.

Cliches : People falling in love after marrying for other reasons. Borderline insta-love.

Music: Fine.

Bottom line: Like Coffee and vanilla, this drama is plagued with insta-love, no plot, underdeveloped character and universe. I hesitated between a - or a -/+, especially because the intimacy depicted sometimes made me uncomfortable, like 'uh, should I be here?" but, compared to Coffee and vanilla, it has more comedy, the dynamic between the couple is more interesting and I want to commend the communication between them. So -/+ it is.

Coffee & Vanilla

 Japanese title: コーヒー＆バニラ

10 episodes

Aired on MBS from 2019 July to September

Main cast:

• Fukuhara Haruka as Shiraki Risa
• Sakurada Dori as Fukami Hiroto
• Kuroba Mario as Akutsu Takaaki
• Ogoe Yuuki as Yoshiki Tsubasa
• Hama Shogo as Ichiyanagi Yuki
• Kita Noa as Ashiya Natsuki
• Tokoshima Yoshiko as Kitajima Akane

 Production credits:

• Original work: Manga by Akegami Takara
• Screenwriter: Shimoda Yuko, Date Sorami
• Producer: Kamiura Yuna, Furukusa Masami
• Director: Smith, Tsubakimoto Keijiro, Totsuka Hiroto

Notes:

• So I watched this one on Viki, and the only reasons I made it to episode 4 is that episodes are short and comments were really funny.
• Usual disclaimer: I haven't read the manga it's based on. I think I may have tried to read it because the title and the first episode remind me of something but I probably bailed early. 
• Warning: I don't know the rating but it's clearly not for children. It's not explicit but don't watch if you don't want to be exposed to mature material.
  

 

Review: DNF

Title: The title refers to a coffee shop but also to the main characters, male lead being coffee and female lead being vanilla, which is not exactly subtle symbolism. But it makes sense and it's not made too obvious in the drama so it's fine. 

Girl: She's a super shy student, "pure" in every aspect (some would say naive).

Boy: He's like 10 years older and lets say... a weird mix of considerate and overwhelming.

Other boy: He's a student too and... he likes to cook.

Plot: Plot, what plot ? Sometimes in these reviews, I write that the plot is the relationship but this drama takes it to the next level. The drama starts with Boy and Girl in the most passionate love relationship you can imagine. At least, it's different to a lot of dramas, in which it takes sometimes 20 episodes to kiss but it makes you think: "Umm, I wonder what will happen in the 9 other episodes?" The answer is: "basically nothing" except cliches second lead who goes from 0 to 100 then back to 0 in one episode, then a bad boy rival and then I stopped watching. The plot summary teased "secrets" about Boy but nothing in the first episodes made me believe that they would be interesting.

Relationship: I'm not a fan of insta-love and this one is insta-love on crack. The point is not to have two people falling in love but watching two people declaring and consummate their love over and over. Also Girl is so shy that even when she's into it, she looks like she's not, so it can be uncomfortable.

Other characters: For once, I didn't have to cut into the cast list from DramaWiki, that's how underdevelopped this universe is. The most interesting character is Girl's friend who is the audience's surrogate telling Girl that she should run from this insane, possibly murderous guy.

Funny? Not really.

Cliches: Insta-love. Shy young woman/experienced older man. Every guy is in love with her.

Music: Nothing to say in particular.

Bottom line: No real plot. Underdeveloped characters. Wish-fulfillment fantasy. DNF.

What's wrong with Secretary Kim ?

 Korean title: 김비서가 왜 그럴까

16 episodes

Aired on tvN from 2018 June to July

Main cast:

• Park Min Young as Kim Mi So
  
• Park Seo Joon as Lee Young Joo
• Lee Tae Hwan as Lee Sung Yun
• Kang Ki Young as Park Yoo Shik
• Pyo Ye Jin as Kim Ji Ah
  
• Hwang Chan Sung as Ko Kwi Nam
• Lee Yoo Joon as Jung Chi In
• Hwang Bo Ra as Bong Se Ra
• Kang Hong Suk as Yang Chul
• Kim Ye Won as Sul Ma Eum
• Baek Eun Hye as Kim Pil Nam
• Heo Soon Mi as Kim Mal Hee
• Kim Byung Ok as Chairman Lee
• Kim Hye Ok as Mrs. Choi

 Production credits:

• Production companies: Studio Dragon, Bon Factory
  
• Director: Park Joon Hwa
• Screenwriter: Jung Eun Young (ep 1-4), Baek Sun Woo, Choi Bo Rim
• Based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Jung Kyung Yoon  

Notes: 

• I don't know why but I'm less motivated to write reviews for dramas I actually like! It's easier to rant. Hence why this review is belated. And from memory.
  
•  Hwang Chan Sung is a member of 2PM, a K-pop group.
• This drama was my introduction to all these actors, including Park Seo Joon and Park Min Young. I get the hype now! (edit: after putting the labels, I realised I already had a Park Min Young one because she was Girl in Sungkyunkwan Scandal! Oops. and Kim Hye Ok was in Bad Guy too. Her character is really different here).
  

 

Review: +

Title: A good title! A bit long but catchy and intriguing. And for once, it's really satisfying to hear it in the dialogue.

Girl: She's a great protagonist. Though she's an insanely competent secretary, she's relatable.

Boy: A chaebol heir! How original! His narcissisim is actually funny and when we get to know him more and the layers of his character are revealed, we appreciate him even more. I feel bad saddling this review with the "arrogant jerk" because he's not really a jerk but he's definitely arrogant so yeah.

Other boy: Yeah no. I have some degree of sympathy for him because I'm not a monster but the character was really one note and annoying. Also, it's a bit random but he's supposed to be the older brother and the actor is 6 years younger than the actor for Boy who is playing his age. His behaviour tends to feel more immature too, so there was some disconnect every time we are reminded that he's supposed to be older.

Other girl: Look, there isn't one !

Plot: There is vaguely a mystery about something that happened in the past but the twist is quite obvious so I was just waiting for it to be revealed. However, the gradual revelation of what happened was quite well-done.

Relationships: There wasn't any B-couple but two C-couples among their coworkers. I'm not complaining as there were both very different but still cute and funny.

Other characters: his parents, her sisters, his best friend and their coworkers. 

Funny? Yes. It's a big part of why I like it. Special mention to his best friend (and his disaster of a secretary) and to Bong Se Ra.

Clichés: Office romance. Childhood connection.

Music: I don't remember it so it must have been fine.

Bottom line: I'm surprised that I remember so little of this drama, besides liking it. The mystery is hit or miss and the brother character is annoying but there are some genuinely funny moments and characters, Girl and Boy are strong characters and their relationship is believable. +!

Goblin

Korean title : 쓸쓸하고 찬란하神-도깨비

Other title : Goblin: The Lonely and Great God / Guardian: The Lonely and Great God

16 episodes

Aired on tvN from 2016 Dec to 2017 Jan

Main cast :

• Gong Yoo as Kim Shin
• Kim Go Eun as Ji Eun Tak
• Lee Dong Wook as Wang Yeo
• Yoo In Na as Kim Sun / Sunny
• Yook Sung Jae as Yoo Duk Hwa
• Lee El as Samshin Granny
• Kim Sung Kyum as President Yoo Shin Woo
  
• Jo Woo Jin as Secretary Kim Soo Bok
  

 Production credits :

• Production company: Hwa and Dam Pictures
• Director: Lee Eung Bok; Yoon Jong Ho (ep 3-16)
• Screenwriter: Kim Eun Sook

Notes : 

• I mentioned that I would watch this drama in my review of Touch your heart, in which Yoo In Na and Lee Dong Wook were reunited as the romantic leads. Park Kyung Hye who is a ghost here would become one of their coworkers in Touch your heart.
• This drama was huge, from what I gathered, so I had high expectations.
  
• The screenwriter also wrote Secret garden (and A Millionaire's first love, which is a real blast from the past!). I don't see many similarities except for the fantasy aspects. She also wrote The Heirs!
  
• I have watched episode 8 weeks ago and I don't feel like picking it up so it's a DNF but I may resume watching at some point. It's the first time I felt that way. Usually when I DNF, it's definitive. OK, when I came back to this draft, I had tried to pick it up again and still didn't feel like going through it all so after episode 9, I jumped straight to the final episode. 

 

 Review : DNF 

Title : Straightforward. Maybe too much? I make fun of titles but I wish this drama had a more poetic name that would better reflect the feel of the drama. But it's ok and recognizable enough.

Boy : He's a goblin. I tried to look up what it means in Korean folkore but didn't find much. Anyway, here is what I got from the drama. He was once a mortal but was resurrected after his violent death as an immortal being with powers such as teleportation. When we met him, he's hundreds years-old and waiting for the one person who can put an end to his life. I actually don't remember much about him or his personality.

Girl : Spunky high schooler with a terrible homelife. Oh, and she sees ghosts. And she should have died. And she is the one who is supposed to end Boy's life. I like her, she acts cute and she is also really fierce, determined in adversity.

Other boy : He's a grim reaper. He's resigned but when there is a perspective of something more, he doesn't quite know what to do and how to act. There are hints of a backstory which could develop his character but I didn't get it in the episodes I've watched.

Other girl : She runs a coffee place. Of all 4 main characters, she's the one I understood the least. She is human with no supernatural powers... I think? But I think she acts weird? Again, there are hints of a backstory but when I stopped watching, it had not been explored.

Plot / relationships : Here is my main gripe with the drama. I didn't get the plot. It's at the same time simple and convoluted. There was not enough momentum for me. As for the relationships, the most interesting one was the "friendship" between Boy and Other Boy. As for the romance, there were many moments that were very romantic, and the actors sell it for the most part... but "destined love" is not my favourite trope.

Theme : death. I don't have a "theme" bullet point so I've added it just for this drama. I don't agree with how death is presented but it's an interesting theme to explore.

Clichés :  Hundreds years-old and teenager in love. Star-crossed lovers.

Funny? Surprisingly yes. I am impressed by how they managed to get the tone right and how successful they are at both the tragic/poignant and the funny/light-hearted.

Music : Do I really need to talk about the OST? I feel like it's iconic. Stay with me and Round and round are so so good and go so well with the atmosphere of the drama.

Bonus : Goblin has the best cinematography I've ever seen in a drama. The production value and the special effects are amazing.

Bottom line : I feel bad DNF-ing this drama because I'm a completist, because it has a lot of impressively well-done things going for it (tone, music, atmosphere), and because it is so well-liked. But as objectively good Goblin may be, it is not the drama for me. It also felt to me a bit too self-conscious, too enamoured of itself, like a collection of striking scenes that don't add up to a satisfying whole. Anyway, I applaud the ambition but it's a DNF.

Trot lovers

 Korean title : 트로트의 연인

Other titles : Trot Romance / Lovers Of Trot / Lovers of Music

16 episodes

Aired on KBS2

From 2014 June to August

Main cast :

• Ji Hyun Woo as Jang Joon Hyun
• Jung Eun Ji as Choi Choon Hee
• Shin Sung Rok as Jo Geun Woo
• Lee Se Young as Park Soo In
• Yoo Eun Mi as Choi Byul
• Kim Hye Ri as Yang Joo Hee
  
• Yoon Joo Sang as Jo Hee Moon
• Kang Nam Gil as Choi Myung Shik
• Son Ho Joon as Sul Tae Song
• Kim Yeo Jin as Bang Ji Sook
  
• Shin Bo Ra as Na Pil Nyeo
• Jang Won Young as Lee Chul Man
• Yoon Bong Gil as Lee Yoo Shik
• Park Hyuk Kwon as Managing Director Wang
•  Ji Soo Won as Hwa Soon 

Production credits :

• Production Company : JS Pictures ; Chief Producer: Kim Sung Geun ; Producer: Yoon Sung Sik
• Directors : Lee Jae Sang, Lee Eun Jin
• Screenwriters : Oh Sun Hyung, Kang Yoon Kyung

Notes :

• Hello Father AND Newspaper boss from Capital Scandal ! 
• I've never heard trot songs before (though I knew it was Korean traditional popular songs) and I really like the songs in this drama.
• You might know Jung Eun Ji from K-pop girl group Apink. Since I started to get into K-pop, I pay more attention to idols, and it's funny to realise that Choi Si Won, Micky Yoochun are/were idols. Also f(x) Krystal in the Heirs and AOA Shin Hye Jung in Good witch.
  
• So before this drama, I thought that maybe I was over Korean dramas, after my disappointment with Good witch and it felt like ages since I last watched a drama I really liked. But I really liked this one !!
• This review is from (recent) memory because weirdly I wasn't really inspired to write it. I'm not sure this review will be interesting enough to do this drama justice but I want to share that it was good and introduced me to trot.
  

 

Review : +

Title : Kinda embarassing. Litteral but not totally accurate since only Girl is a lover of trot while Boy doesn't care for it.

Girl : She's confident, headstrong and resilient. She loves singing trot because of how it makes her feel and how it makes other feel. Her energy is communicative.

Boy : He used to be a big star and has been disgraced. He's vain and arrogant but in the funny way, not in the annoying one. He's also talented and has a real passion for music.

Other girl : She's also a singer. She works hard to succeed but it's hard to know what she really wants since her mother (a former singer) is so overbearing. What they do with her character is really compelling.

Other boy : He's the heir of an entertainement company. He's... odd. He does things his way, not caring how he's perceived.

Plot : There is a plot, which is what it is. It's a bit meandering at the beginning and I have to say I skipped some parts, basically all the scenes that heaped misery on misery on Girl. It's handled better, with a lighter touch, later on. Not everything makes sense but at least it shows the struggle to succeed and not everything goes right. I also like how the romance develops and root for these two character's love so that's what I expect from a romance drama.

Other characters : Girl's little sister who is very cute, put-upon assistant, over-the-top mean girl, excentric CEO, nice mentor... most of them are well done.

What the... ? There are "nice gangsters" characters ? They're involved in a very weird scene that's quite dramatic then turns funny but I'm not sure it's successful. I like these characters as comic reliefs but it's not consistent with how they're introduced.

Cliché : The whole premise of you-have-to-help-out-X-in-doing-Y-to-get-Z. And then a "plot" cliché that I can't tell without spoiling that I personally think is way overdone (though I actually like the angst it brings). I groaned when I realised they were going there.

Funny : Yes.

Music : As I already said, music is one of the draw of the drama. Unless you don't like trot. Warning, the same song is used so much at the beginning that I feared they would only use one song throughout the whole drama. Fortunately, it was not the case.

Bottom line : The plot wasn't the best but it was good enough to not distract from the great characters, their compelling relationships, the comedy and the music. + !

Touch your heart

 Korean title: 진심이 닿다

• 16 episodes
• 
  Aired on tvN
• From 2019 Feb to March

Main cast:

• Yoo In Na as Oh Jin Shim / Oh Yoon Seo
• Lee Dong Wook as Kwon Jung Rok
• Lee Sang Woo as Kim Se Won
• Son Sung Yoon as Yoo Yeo Reum
• Oh Jung Se as Yun Joon Kyu
• Shim Hyung Tak as Choi Yoon Hyuk
• Park Kyung Hye as Dan Moon Hee
• Park Ji Hwan as Lee Doo Sub
• Jang So Yun as Yang Eun Ji
• Kim Hee Jung as Kim Hae Young
• Lee Joon Hyuk as Yun Joon Suk
• Oh Ui Shik as Kong Hyuk Joon 

Production credits:

• Executive Producers: Lee Joon Ho, Han Suk Won ; Chief Producer: Jang Jung Do ; Producer: Jung Da Hyung
• Director: Park Joon Hwa
• Screenwriters: Lee Myung Sook, Choi Bo Rim

Notes:

• Based on a web novel by Yegeo (예거).
• Full disclosure: I started to watch this drama because of Shim Hyun Tak. I liked him a lot in Good Witch. Side note: why does his DramaWiki profile pic is this, on the left, when my screenshots of him looks like this? (sorry for the bad formatting, it hurts me too but Blogger is what it is.)
  

Anyway, this drama and my foray into K-pop made me realise that I tend to find men more attractive when their forehead is exposed. I'm sure you're happy to know this.

• I was well into the first episode when I realised that the lead actress was Girl's best friend from Secret garden. I was pleased since I liked her and she brings the same qualities to her character in this drama (while Shim Hyun Tak plays a character so different that I got whiplash. But it shows his versatility.)
• Yoo In Na and Lee Dong Wook were previously in the popular drama Goblin, which I intend to watch at some point.
  
• So, like with Dating agency: Cyrano, I stopped to rewatch an old favourite (this time, My lucky star, which I binged in a few days) and didn't really want to go back to this drama so...
  

 

Review : DNF after the 6th episode

 

Title: I'm not sure what the title refers to. Google translate tells me that the Korean title is "Be sincere" and it may be a play on words since Girl's birth name means "sincerely" and Boy is the only one who insists on calling her by that name. There are also some talks about people being able to see Girl's sincerity.

Girl: She's a famous actress who had her career ruined because of a scandal. In order to win a role, she takes a job as a secretary of a lawyer. She's nice, cute, bubbly and quite smart.

Boy: I didn't connect with him at all. As I said, stoic types are hard to make engaging and Boy comes off as blank. He's smart, clueless about feelings, not the worst person and that's about it.

Other girl and other boy: They're supposed to be the second leads but they have very little screen time and characterisation, at least to this point. They were friends with Boy. They are ambitious. They were in a relationship but broke up but are still in love though they don't admit it.

Relationship/plot: The plot is the progress of the relationship, with some legal cases thrown in the mix. Problem is, there is not enough drama. People are nice, Girl and Boy like each other but don't say anything for whatever reason. And the legal cases aren't interesting enough.

Funny? Side characters are comic reliefs. It's funny at first, but then, the same notes are played again and again and I gave up on actual fleshing up of these characters.

Music: Fine. It goes well with the light tone of the drama.

What ? I complained before about the inconsistency with famous characters who are sometimes recognised and sometimes not at all. At least, this drama is consistent about Girl's need to conceal herself.

Bottom line: This drama and its characters had potential. I really like the first episodes. But it didn't develop fast enough to keep me interesting. There are so many characters that could have been spotlighted and threads that could have been explored, but these 6 episodes didn't show me that they would do it. I could have been invested in the second main couple, in the coworkers and in Girl's scandal if only I'd been shown more. I seriously have no idea how they're going to fill 10 more episodes. It was too chill for me. Maybe it works better with a week-to-week watching experience instead of binge-watching. Anyway, finishing the 6th episode was a chore for me. DNF.

 

Interestingly, even someone who has enjoyed this drama recognises it. Belinda C, in her review of the final episodes, writes: "Now let’s be honest. While the writing does have its moments, there’s barely any real content. The cases in the earlier episodes were always wrapped too conveniently and within 20 minutes of their introduction. Characters like Yeo Reum and Gang Joon (the stalker) were obviously set up to be significant players, but lost steam before they even kicked into gear."

Link to her review and my thoughts on what she says happen in the last episodes after the jump, due to SPOILERS of the ending.

 

Good witch

•  Korean title :  착한마녀전
• Other title : Nice Witch
  
• 40 episodes (but same length overall as 20 episodes)
• 
  Aired on SBS
  
• From 2018 March to May

Main cast :

• Lee Da Hae as Cha Sun Hee / Cha Do Hee
• Ryu Soo Young as Song Woo Jin
• Ahn Woo Yeon as Oh Tae Yang
• Shin Hye Jung as Joo Ye Bin
• Bae Soo Bin as Bong Chun Da
• Ahn Sol Bin as Bong Chun Ji
• Yoon Se Ah as Oh Tae Ri
• Shim Hyung Tak as Chae Kang Min
• Lee Han Seo as Bong Cho Rong
• Lee Duk Hwa as Oh Pyung Pan
• Geum Bo Ra as Byun Ok Jong
• Yang Geum Suk as Lee Moon Sook 

Production credits :

• Director : Oh Se Kang
• Screenwriter : Yoon Young Mi

 

Review : -/+

Title : It's actually referenced several times in the drama. Sun Hee and Do Hee are twins with different personalities and lives. Do Hee has become a flight attendant and the face of the company, but she's known as the cold-blood witch. Sun Hee has to take her place and, as she can't help being kind, changes her image. She's now the good witch.

Girl : I thought she was interesting. She's the super kind girl character but the drama showed how being too nice can also be a flaw she has to overcome while still being true to herself.

Boy : He's good looking, smart, kind, courageous, honest, understanding, loyal, funny. I could go on and on. He basically has every quality there is and no discernable failing (apart from a quirk in the beginning which was his only original trait). The problem is that his character didn't change at all. Now that I think about it, he's like the one-dimensional love interest in action movies, except that he is a main character.

Relationship : I wasn't invested at all in Girl and Boy's relationship since Boy was such a non-entity.

Plot : So I kept watching because of the plot. I was curious to see where it was going and how everything would fall down. Also because of the antagonists. Basically, they were 50% of the reason why I didn't DNF this drama. I was really intrigued by their dynamic.

What the... ? There are some stuff that didn't make sense and instantly took me out of the drama. The first is the whole housemates situation. The second is Girl's daughter. There are precocious child character and then there is this perfect life coach confidente child character. It's like they didn't want to add another character and thought "why not give the role to the 5 year-old kid ?" (I have no idea of her age but the point is that she's way too young to be giving life advice to her mother, expecially about her relationship to her father... yikes).

Funny : Yes, some moments are funny but this drama goes to dark places. There are some heavy betrayals.

Music : Not memorable.

Cliché : See the premise of the drama in title.

Bottom line : If I don't care about the romance and the Boy in a romantic drama, I can't rate it more than a -/+. Besides, the mix of stupid and of well-done stuff was confusing. Still, it wasn't a minus because the plot and most of the characters were interesting. In the end, I don't think I can recommend it : -/+

 

2020 October 24th update : From commentary about Red Velvet Irene's scandal, I've just learnt about the "nut rage incident", which I think inspired this drama. More after the jump (spoilers, though it's about something that happens in the first episodes). 

Nodame Cantabile and Nae Il's Cantabile

I'm doing a joint review of these two dramas, not because I'm lazy (though I am) but because as good adaptations of the manga Nodame cantabile by Ninomiya Tomoko, or remake of one another, I would have repeated myself.

I've watched Nodame Cantabile twice but it's been some years and I've just watched Nae Il's Cantabile for the first time. I had actually read part of the manga, for once, and from what I remembered, the Japanese drama was quite faithful.

Japanese title : のだめカンタービレ

11 episodes

Aired on Fuji TV

From 2006 October to December

+ 1 special (2 ep, 2008) + 2 movies (2009 and 2010)

Main cast :

• Ueno Juri as Noda Megumi
• Tamaki Hiroshi as Chiaki Shinichi
• Eita as Mine Ryutaro
• Koide Keisuke as Okuyama Masumi
• Mizukawa Asami as Miki Kiyora
• Saeko as Saku Sakura
• Uehara Misa as Tagaya Saiko
• Takenaka Naoto as Franz Stresemann
• Fukushi Seiji as Kuroki Yasunori
• Mukai Osamu as Kikuchi Toru
• Toyohara Kosuke as Eto Kozo
• Nishimura Masahiko as Tanioka Hajime
• Ibu Masato as Mine Tatsumi

Production credits :

• Screenwriter : Etou Rin
• Producers : Wakamatsu Hiroki, Shimizu Kazuyuki
• Directors : Takeuchi Hideki, Kawamura Taisuke, Tanimura Masaki

Korean title : 내일도 칸타빌레

Other title : Tomorrow Cantabile

16 episodes

Aired on KBS2

From 2014 October to December

Main cast :

• Shim Eun Kyung as Sul Nae Il (Noda Megumi)
• Joo Won as Cha Yoo Jin  (Chiaki Shinichi)
• Go Kyung Pyo as Yoo Il Rak (Mine Ryutaro)
• Park Bo Gum as Lee Yoon Hoo
• Jang Se Hyun as Ma Soo Min (Okuyama Masumi)
• Min Do Hee as Choi Min Hee (Saku Sakura)
• Bae Min Jung as Jung Shi Won (Miki Kiyora)
• Baek Yoon Shik as Franz Streseman
• Kim Yoo Mi as Chae Do Kyung (Tagaya Saiko)
• Lee Byung Joon as Do Kang Jae (Eto Kozo)
• Nam Goong Yun as Ahn Gun Sung (Tanioka Hajime)
• Ye Ji Won as Song Mi Na
• Ahn Kil Kang as Yoo Won Sang (Mine Tatsumi)

Production credits :

• Chief Producer : Hwang Eui Kyung ; producers : Kim Jin Won, Park Woo Ram
• Directors : Han Sang Woo, Lee Jung Mi
• Screenwriters: Park Pil Joo, Shin Jae Won

 

Notes : Funny how I've just rewatched Secret Garden in which Lee Byung Joon and Kim Ji Sook also appear, in very different roles.

Review : Fav !

Title : Makes sense since these dramas revolve around students in a music school, and especially around the impact that the character Noda Megumi or Nodame / Nae Il has.

Girl : She's a tricky character to play because she's eccentric and childish, which can easily be annoying and ridiculous, but I think that both actresses nailed it. She's a piano genius but she doesn't want to make it her career. She's obstinate, honest, warm, lovable and doesn't care how she is perceived by people. (+)

Boy : He's also a genius in so many things. He's confident, hard-working and perfectionnist. Also closed-off emotionnally and struggles to express his feelings. (+)

Relationship : This shouldn't work. But it does. These two characters, also surrounded by their friends, help each other to grow and to overcome what is keeping them from achieving their true potentials. They also have the same passion for classical music and admire their respective talent.

Plot : The plot deals mostly with the growth of the characters, through the challenges they face individually and in relation to each other.

The Korean adaptation adds some power struggles at the head of the school, which was not that interesting but also not bad enough to ruin the drama.

Other characters : Characters are interesting and likable. The Korean adaptation has a new character, but, as with the other changes they've made, it fits well.

What the... ? Nodame/Nae Il is a quirky character, maybe she would be too much for some people ? Another tricky character is Stresemann and I'm actually glad they toned down his "pervert" side in the Korean adaptation.

Funny : Yes.

Music : Most diegetic and non diegetic music in these dramas are classical pieces. Classical music is at the heart of the story. You don't need to know anything about it (I don't) to like it and maybe these dramas will make you appreciate how beautiful and emotional classical music is.

Bonus : A glimpse of Salzburg !

Bottom line : I love the characters, in every iteration, their relationships and to watch them learn and grow. It's not realistic at all but it's very satisfying, funny, with sublime music. Fav !

Musings on comparing

Hello!

First, a disclaimer. These are just some observations of mine, I'm not pretending that they are particularly insightful, especially since I haven't watched that many dramas, all things considered. Almost all of them have been romance / comedy, and broadcasted between 2005 and 2012. So my observations are probably biased and possibly outdated.

You're welcome to politely disagree and enlighten me!

When I was updating this blog, I chose to watch an equal amount of Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese dramas, but what dramas did I tend to prefer ?

In order to know, I looked at the list of my reviews and... I realized that I had actually reviewed 17 J dramas, 13 K dramas and 13 TW dramas.

Oops. I totally blame Yamashita Tomohisa. *cough*

Anyway, there are no significative differences in the Fav nor in the +/- or in the minus/ DNF (I added these two categories since there are no Japanese DNF, probably because J dramas are shorter). I have 7 J dramas rated + compared to 4 K and 4 TW dramas, but it could be explained by the fact that I have watched more J dramas. So I can say that I don't really have bias, and it's confirmed when I add the Fav and the Minus/DNF of dramas I've watched but not reviewed. But I would be more affirmative if I had actually watched/reviewed the same amount of each.

That (kinda) established, I'd like to say that music is always important in J, K and TW dramas, with recurring motifs and songs, and I always like the OST.

Now, moving to a basic difference : the length. There are exceptions, that I didn't watched because I didn't want to get into a 50 or 100 episodes drama, but here are the usual :

Japanese : usually 10 or 11 episodes of 45 minutes

Korean : usually from 16 to 20 episodes of 1h

Taiwanese : usually from 13 to 20 episodes of 1h15

J dramas are the shortest, which may also explain why I used to watch more of them, considering that I usually binge them. They also sometimes have sequels, like second season or "special" (i.e. a TV movie).

I noticed that some TW dramas have a "turning midpoint" which is a traumatic event, after which the drama jump a few years in the future. I think it may be due to the length. This jump allows the drama to reset itself and keep things fresh.

The length difference also explains that K and TW dramas, but especially K dramas, tend to have a B-couple, or almost 4 leads, who has its own storyline. It adds difficulty because the other couple must be as interesting as the main one.

Onto the style/content, I've watched two J dramas that I consider "crack": Anna-san no Omame (2006) and Mendol (2008). TW dramas Brown Sugar Macchiato and The Legend of Brown Sugar Chivalries, which were vehicles for groups Lollipop and Hey Girl, were kind of "crack-y". However, all the K dramas I've have watched have been straighforward (but still funny when they were supposed to, just not in the weird how-did-this-make-it-to-air way).

On the other side, I've learnt to be prepared for TW dramas, they hold nothing back, even in romance. Suddenly killing beloved character ? No problem at all!

Since I didn't want to spoil any dramas I've reviewed, I wanted to use as an example "Mars", a 2004 TW romance drama I've never finished. It was a big deal at the time, but I bailed because it depicted too much misery. The first episode gives us the aftermath of a crippling accident, sexual assault, hallucinations due to a trauma and the second episode, murder attempt, sociopathy, bullying. Yeah... Then, I read that it is actually based on the manga "Mars" by Soryo Fuyumi and that there is a 2016 Japanese adaptation. So, not a good example for my point of Taiwanese romance dramas not afraid to go dark.

TW dramas acknowledge sexuality more than J and K dramas. I think this has started to change but dramas, especially J dramas, are very soft in depictions of "sexuality". Love interests used to barely even kiss. Now, it seems that kisses have gotten more passionate. Sexuality is more in the subtext, like sleeping in the same bed is quite common but then there are the "saving the apparences" or "embarassed" parts. By the way, this is not a complaint, but it's something that stands in contrast to Western media.

Now, last topic I want to address talk about : the multiple adaptations/remakes.

Something I wish I could do would be to read the source material, then watch and compare all of the adaptations. If someone did so, let me know!

In the list below, I underlined those I've watched entirely. I DNF Absolute Boyfriend (TW) because I didn't like it and Hua Yang Shao Nien Shao Nu (TW) because the lead made me think of my brother. I could try to watch more of them. I also mentioned Chinese (mainland) adaptations.

Besides Mars, I know of :

Boys over flowers / 花より男子(1992-2008) : manga by Kamio Yoko

Adaptations : Meteor garden (TW) 2001 / Hana Yori Dango (JP) 2005 / Boys over Flowers (KR) 2009 / Meteor garden (CH) 2018

Absolute Boyfriend / 絶対彼氏。(2003-2005) : manga by Watase Yuu

Adaptations : Zettai Kareshi (JP) 2008 / Absolute boyfriend (TW) 2012 / My Absolute boyfriend (KR) 2019

Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (Hana Kimi) /花ざかりの君たちへ (1996-2004) : manga by Nakajo Hisaya

Hanazakari no Kimitachi e or Hua Yang Shao Nien Shao Nu (TW) 2006 / Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (JP) 2007 / To the Beautiful You (KR) 2012

Nodame cantabile / のだめカンタービレ (2001-2010) : manga by Ninomiya Tomoko

Adaptations : Nodame cantabile (JP) 2006 / Nae Il's Cantabile (KR) 2014 / Symphony's Romance (CH) 2020

No manga. Also the worst.

Fated to love you (TW) 2008 / Fated to love you (KR) 2014 / Unmei Kara Hajimaru Koi (JP) 2020

No manga. Also, I only remember it was fine.
The Man who can't get married or Kekkon Dekinai Otoko (JP) 2006 / The Man who can't get married (KR) 2009

Best couples in dramas I've watched

No ranking, like children, I love all of them equally ;)

Kamiya Naoki & Shirakawa Riko, Buzzer Beat

portrayed by Yamashita Tomohisa and Kitagawa Keiko

They're both nice and honest people, and passionate about their chosen professions. Friends first, they encourage each other when they're feeling down. They care a lot for each other. There is cute, angst and romantic chemistry. Riko is a bit more outspoken while Naoki is quieter. She helps him feel more confident and he helps her feel secure. Their growing connection, the obstacles they face, everything is so good.

This drama made me fall in love with Shirakawa Keiko (I was already in love with Yamashita Tomohisa ^^).

"Love makes me stronger."

Kim Joo Won & Gil Ra Im, Secret Garden

portrayed by Hyun Bin and Ha Ji Won

Unlike the other couples on that "best" list, I've only watched the drama in which this couple appear once (it's been twice for Coffee prince and My Lucky star, around three times for Autumn concerto, and countless times for Hotaru no hikari and Buzzer beat) so it may be harder for me to talk about them.

Anyway, they left a strong impression on me.

They're both headstrong people and start as "I can't stand this person but I'm kinda falling for them and always end up ingratiating in their lives."

They can be cute and hot, separately and together, sparks fly. Their connection is intense real fast and only goes deeper.
[2020 July 18th edit : So. I decided to to do a rewatch, to find which defining "quote" to give them. As I was watching, I wondered what I was smoking in 2012 and considered taking them off this list because for a good part of the runtime, these two are definitely not couple goals. However, for the last stretch, they work very well and are so cute that I decided to keep them.
Now, the quote, I have to go with the references to the Little mermaid. I tried to resist and find another one but the drama really leans on it, so here it is.
"... disappear like foam on the sea."]

Amemiya Hotaru & Takano Seichi, Hotaru no Hikari (season 1)

portrayed by Ayase Haruka and Fujiki Naohito

"Forced to live with my boss" ? Yeah, in theory, this is all wrong. There is a part of "opposite attract", with Amemiya being an absolute slob in her private and home life while Takano is very neat and worldly. And maybe some Pygmalion/My Fair lady vibes with Takano helping Amemiya, but in a good way, in order to build her confidence and improve herself without betraying who she is. As for Amemiya, she brings out his playful and joyful side which had been buried for some time. He also appreciates how dedicated she is when she puts her mind to it.

But, though I love them dearly, there is some kind of imbalance in their couple, with Takano being more invested and Amemiya gaining the most ? Something that unfortunately worsens in season 2 and becomes unbearable in the movie. Let's ignore the "ever after" and appreciate the quasi perfection of the first season. Oh, fair warning, this is a verrrry slow burn, if there is even a burn. They are the lost low-key couple of this list.

"AMEMIYAAAAA!!! BUCHOU!!!"

Liang Mu Cheng & Ren Guang Xi, Autumn's concerto

Portrayed by Ady An and Vanness Wu

Sorry, it was hard to find a relevant non spoilery picture. But it shows that this couple goes through very rough times.

Guang Xi is a spoiled heir but he becomes impressed by Mu Cheng's quiet strength and resilience. He helps her and for maybe the first time in her life, someone is on her side, fighting with her. She helps him take down his cynical walls, showing him that there are honest and kind people. The circumstances conspired against them, there is a lot of angst (!) and when they have their happily ever after, it's so satisfying.

Air on the G string

Go Eun Chan & Choi Han Kyul, Coffee Prince

Portrayed by Yoon Eun Hye and Gong Yoo

These two are full of chaotic energy. Their banter is funny and cute. They're both looking for direction in what to do with their lives. They help and support and encourage and care for each other. They're so natural together that it seems that they're a couple even before they're actually a couple.

"It’s so warm and great that I almost forgot that I’m in a lie."

Xia Zhi Xing & Zhong Tian Qi, My Lucky Star

Portrayed by Yoo Ha Na and Jimmy Lin

They both are outspoken and confident people, who need a new start. They start as enemies but they work so well as a team. They have great chemistry (obviously or they wouldn't be on this list).  They also go through many harships together, which shows how strong their bond is.

☆⭐☆

Worst couples in dramas I've watched

The best and worst couples were supposed to be the same post since I wanted to balance the negative by the positive but thinking about what I wanted to write, I realised that they would be two very different posts.

This post will actually be me ranting to the world (or more correctly, to the few people who wandered here... hi few people !) about two dramas in particular.

This is because there are some couples I didn't buy (Kil Da Ran & Kang Kyun Joon from Big, Iwase Ken & Yoshida Rei from Proposal Daisakusen...), but they're not in the same league as the very worst which are the ones I want to highlight here: Lee Young Jae & Han Ji Eun from 2004 Korean drama Full House and Chen Xin Yi & Ji Cun Xi from 2008 Taiwanese drama Fated to love you.

These two dramas have been crazy popular. Full House starred Rain, one of the biggest idols ever and Fated to love you was remade in 2014 by MBC under the same title. [I just learnt that there is also a 2020 Japanese remake... What !! I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!... I wished I had never known that. 😩] I haven't watched the Korean remake. I don't think I have it in me to check if it breaks me as much as its predecessor .

This is why I actively dislike those two dramas, and it all comes from how much I disliked the main couples. There are three elements, that taken separately, would not be as awful, but in conjunction? Oh boy.

1- An Arrogant jerk taken too far or better said, an abusive bully

I actually like the Arrogant jerk trope in romance (Braime, Zutara maybe?) but you have to dose it well, add some wittiness, redeeming qualities and you know, not just relentlessly have him treat his romantic prospect as dirt. There is a reason why in most dramas, this kind of character is quickly toned down.

2- A meek woman who's in love with him even though he treats her horribly

Again, it's okay for someone to be meek, but paired with someone who takes advantage of it, it's a catastrophe. The Arrogant jerk works in romance when their love interest challenges them. If they are just a doormat, it's not interesting, it's painful.

To be fair to Fated to love you, the fact that Chen Xin Yi is someone who never stands for herself is acknowledged and is the basis for her character development, from "Sticky Note Girl" to a confident woman. But, if I remember well, that whole character development happens offscreen. Oops.

I also thought about other male characters who treats their love interest terribly in dramas but which I don't hate. The closest example I could remember was from Hana Yori Dango/Boys over flowers. Tsukasa/Joon Pyo is a bully to Makino/Jan Di, he treats her horribly. But, at that time, she despises him. She only falls in love with him after he starts treating her well and stops bullying others. Imagine if Makino/Jan Di was in love with Tsukasa/Joon Pyo while he was insulting and tormenting her. Yeah... that was my experience watching Full House and Fated to love you.

3- Who are trapped with each other.

So you have these two characters who have no business being together, and what do you do? Well, you make it so they (and especially both women Han Ji Eun and Chen Xin Yi) can't leave the "relationship". Why, do you ask if you haven't seen these two dramas ? Because they have been forced to marry and are now forced to live and stay together. I actually forgot that they also had to get married in Full House, I only remembered that they had to live in the same house for some reason.

Again, I actually like the "arranged marriage" trope, done well. And this was not done well.

So now, if you still don't believe me that these two couples are the worst, let's read the synopsis for Fated to love you (and it's for real the premise of the drama) with some of my interjections since I can't hold them :

A really unfashionable working class girl Chen Xin Yi has the desire to tie down her handsome boyfriend to be with her [just ugh! No, no, no. I know it happens in real life, but she is our main character, not the villain]. Due to certain reasons, her boyfriend gets her to go on a love cruise and she started to ponder on how to lose her virginity and tie down her boyfriend. Xin Yi ended up taking cold medicine which made her drowsy and went into Ji Cun Xi's room. Cun Xi is the sole male heir to his family's company and has been in love with his girlfriend, Anna, for a long time. He planned to propose to Anna on the boat but she didn't turn up on the cruise. An island owner added drugs into Cun Xi's drink and Cun Xi became disorientated and returned to his own room. Xin Yi and Cun Xi end up having a one night stand. [So, the first time they have sex, they are both intoxicated and both in a relationship with someone else, and she thought he was her boyfriend. Mmm okay.] So, Xin Yi later finds out that she's pregnant and Cun Xi's grandmother forces them to get married. Will a couple forced to marry for the sake of their unborn child find love with each other? [Spoiler : they will at the end, but for a long time, Cun Xi actually resents her and as previously said, treats her horribly.]

The synopsis for Full House is slightly less terrifying but still you have the premise of Young Jae exploiting the situation of Ji Eun, and again, to get to the happy end, you have to endure Ji Eun being mistreated.

Han Ji Eun is an innocent woman who gets swindled by her best friends in need of money. After a few unfortunate encounters with top actor Lee Young Jae, Ji Eun finds out that her house was bought by said actor. Young Jae has been in love with his best friend, Kang Hye Won for more than a decade but she has her eyes on Yoo Min Hyuk, their senior. After growing tired of waiting for her to come around, Young Jae proposes a contract marriage to Ji Eun in order to spark some jealousy and get the media off his back. In an attempt to earn back her house, Ji Eun agrees to be his wife for a year. But as they live together, they start to learn what it means to live a married life, genuinely care for one another and have each other's back when they're up against the world.

So, this is why these two are the worst couples I've ever seen and also why I really really don't like these two dramas.

And why I don't understand how they could be so popular (or at least, they were at that time) so this is me taking this off my chest. I don't really feel better. Actually I feel worse, after being reminded that they got married in Full House and finding out about the Japanese remake *facepalm*).

Bye, few readers! I'm going back to the "Best couples" post.

The Heirs

Korean title: 왕관을 쓰려는자, 그무게를 견뎌라 - 상속자들
Other titles: The Inheritors or The One Trying to Wear the Crown, Withstands the Weight

20 episodes

Aired on SBS
From 2013 October to December

Main cast:

• Lee Min Ho as Kim Tan
• Park Shin Hye as Cha Eun Sang
• Kim Woo Bin as Choi Young Do 
• Kim Ji Won as Yoo Rachel/Yoo Ra He
• Krystal Jung as Lee Bo Na
• Kang Min Hyuk as Yoon Chan Young
• Choi Jin Hyuk as Kim Won
• Kim Sung Ryung as Han Ki Ae
• Jung Dong Hwan as Kim Nam Yoon 
• Kim Mi Kyung as Park Hee Nam 
• Choi Won Young as Yoon Jae Ho 
• Park Joon Geum as Jung Ji Sook 
• Yoon Son Ha as Lee Esther R
• Choi Jin Ho as Choi Dong Wook 
• Im Joo Eun as Jun Hyun Joo 
• Kang Ha Neul as Lee Hyo Shin 
• Park Hyung Shik as Jo Myung Soo 
• Jun Soo Jin as Kang Ye Sol 

Production credits:

• Chief Producer: Choi Moon Suk, Producers: Shin Bong Chul, Lee Sung Hoon, Yoon Ha Rim
• Director: Kang Shin Hyo, Boo Sung Chul, Assistant Director: Lee Kwang Young
• Screenwriter: Kim Eun Sook

Notes:

- I saw Kim Sung Ryung first in Miss Kim makes a million. I loved her in that drama and I love her in this one, in which she's a really different character.

- The screenwriter is also credited for Secret garden... I thinks she's less successful here.

- I started to write this review after watching the drama but I'm just finishing now, years after, from memory.

Review: -/+

Title: Generic. Except for Girl, every young character is heir of a powerful family. Though there is a central love story, other characters' relationships with their family, and especially their status as heirs, are explored.

Boy: He's a typical Lee Min Ho character, which is not a bad thing. He's passionate, protective, hot and cute.

Girl: Ouch. Here's the rub. Girl is the most reluctant Girl I have ever seen. It's like she just wants to be left alone, in a "I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative." way, but for real. I'll get back to it below. Besides that, she's a typical down-on-her-luck girl.

Other boy: He takes "arrogant jerk" straight into "scary jerk" territory.

Other girl: So this is years after, so I don't remember much. She's basically a "Mean girl", you know the popular pretty girl who has minions.

Plot / relationship: The problem with the main couple is that Boy does all the work and Girl is just... there, kinda. I sometimes wondered if she wanted that relationship, was she even in love with him? Luckily, Boy is a very strong character, with an interesting arc, and his feelings are clearly expressed, so you keep watching for him. His relationship with Other boy is also explored.

Other characters: Again, I don't remember much, sorry :(. I liked Girl's mother. I seem to remember that she was mute so they used sign language to talk to each other, which is a good thing to see portrayed in a drama. Boy's family was typical drama rich family but with a twist, which added to Boy's character arc. He also had a group of friends, they had a fun dynamic and as I said, their struggles with their status and the pressure of their family are explored. It can go quite dark.

What the...? I was confused by the characters' age. At first, I thought they were in uni so it was weird to see them in high school.

Also, the drama starts in the US. Its depiction of America was funny.

Clichés: Stalking. Love triangle.

Funny: No.

Music: I didn't like it which almost never happens.

Bottom line: So thinking again of this drama, its issues reminded me of Marrying a Millionaire. Like in this drama, I was really invested in Boy's character but didn't really care for Girl. When you don't actively root for the main couple in a romance drama, there is a lot to compensate, and though everything related to Boy was good, it was not enough for me to give this drama more than a -/+.

  

5-ji Kara 9-ji Made

Japanese title: 5時から9時まで
English title:  From 5 to 9

10 episodes

Aired on Fuji TV
From 2015 October to December

Main cast:

Ishihara Satomi as Sakuraba Junko

Yamashita Tomohisa as Hoshikawa Takane

Tanaka Kei as Kiyomiya Makoto

Takanashi Rin as Yamabuchi Momoe

Hayami Mokomichi as Kimura Arthur

Furukawa Yuki as Mishima Satoshi

Yoshimoto Miyu as Ashigaka Kaori

Ono Takehiko as Terada Kouei

Kaga Mariko as Hoshikawa Hibari

Shison Jun as Hoshikawa Amane

Saeko as Mouri Masako

Nagatsuma Reo as Hachiya Renji

Takada Hyoga as Satonaka Yuki

Tsunematsu Yuri as Sakuraba Nene

Toda Keiko as Sakuraba Keiko

Ueshima Ryuhei as Sakuraba Mitsuru

Production credits:

Original work: Manga 5-ji Kara 9-ji Made by Aihara Miki

Screenwriter: Koyama Shota

Producer: Goto Hiroyuki, Kinjo Ayaka

Director: Hirano Shin, Tanimura Masaki

Music: Dewa Yoshiaki, Habuka Yuri

Review: +/-

Title: Girl teaches English at a language school. I guess, the timetable for her classes is from 5 to 9.

Girl: She's passionate about her job and her dream is to go to New York. She's pretty, kind and self-willed. I can believe that several men are in love with her.

Boy: He's a Buddhist monk, in charge of a temple, which is a kind of family "business". He's serious, earnest but lacks some social skills.

Other boys: As I said, there are two other men in love with Girl. I can't say much without spoilers but they are not really interesting.

Other girl: Her marriage with Boy has been arranged by her family and Boy's grandmother but she really wants to make it work.

Plots/relationships: Boy and Girl are both great characters and I believe that they can be together, that she fills something in his heart. However, the biggest problem of this drama is the pure stalking going on.

Of course, dramas have to contrive to make their characters meet again and again. I stopped counting the chance encounters in the drama I'm currently watching. Another way is to make one of the party interested. But since the other cannot reciprocate so soon, or there is no drama apparently, he (since it's usually the man) has to resort to stalking despite Girl's protests. I know I let it pass in Secret garden but the difference is that Girl here is clearly very upset to be pursued in that way. And it is upsetting to watch.

Something else I didn't like: the villains are caricatures. One of them has a motivation that doesn't make sense, as for the other, the motivation for their entire behaviour is revealed in the last minutes of the last episode... so too late.

Other characters: Families and her co-workers. There are two other relationships that are developped between secondary characters.

What the...?: Weird fakeouts.

Clichés: Embarrassing first meeting. Opposition of his family. Insta-love. Rain. Stalking.

Funny: Yes.

Bottom line: I watched it two months ago and I couldn't remember how it ended so I took it as a sign as I was unsure about the + or +/-. Once again, there was potential because most of the characters are interesting, even original, but I couldn't overlook some of its flaws.