Where "recently" means that there is one drama I've finished at the beginning of November.
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
Let's start with the only Korean drama I want to talk about in this post (in the same period I've watched Moonlight Drawn by Clouds too, but I honestly have nothing to say about it other than I found it a bit boring but Park Bo Gum's face is a gift to the humankind. This guys' hair too. I also watched Signal, and it was veeeery good).
Anyway.
Like a looot of people already said, it was a mess. The editing and the writing were terrible and compromised a drama that has an interesting plot. In the 1st episodes the soundtrack-placement was very awkward (music started in weird moments, the volume was often to high), there were few dramatic close ups (you know those from old telenovelas or shows? The close ups when someone reveals something shocking? Those); it's a drama with a lot of time jumps, but they were so random? They often didn't write "2 years later", "the day before" etc, and you had to stop for a second to understand what was happening. Also they made the male lead do a thing (at the end of the 6th episode it I remember correctly) that was 1) not good, 2) quite out of character. And since he's a lovable character, that "stain" bugs me quite a bit.
Ah, and there was a very weird thing: there were 2 different versions of each episode, one that was aired on korean tv, and one that was the "international" version (I suppose for sites like Viki etc). And one of them (the one I watched, I think it was the international version) was few minutes longer, because in the other version they cut some scenes O_O
But! I was OBSESSED. Don't ask me why, it wasn't a rational thing, but I was SO invested in this drama, especially foe the first episodes, it was ridiculous. Obsessed to the point of reloading the page every 5 minutes to see if the subs were out.
The drama is 20 episodes long and I didn't find it boring at all (maybe sometimes in the fist episodes, but not the usual kdrama-boredom); it covers a long period (10 years maybe? Maybe more THEY DIDN'T WRITE THE YEARS IDK) so you can see the characters evolving - in a good or bad way - and things happening. I found the whole game-of-the-throne-thing really interesting and quite compelling.
At the beginning the dramas alternates between fun/cute moments and really serious ones, but the more you go on, the darker it gets. Really. I rarely cry watching kdramas (while I cry watching anything else), but this drama made me cry at least 5 times and I spent the whole last episode sobbing. Seriously, it was a plane-crash-in-Grey's-Anatomy situation. And the ending didn't satisfy me at all (I heard they cut the final scene too??? THOSE FUCKERS).
Most of the characters weren't "good" or "bad", there was a bit of darkness in almost all of them. I loved the male lead, he's just a person you end up rooting for. The female lead was really good too.
Ah, it's an harem drama, so of course there were those ridiculous/surreal situations and the female lead is somehow at the center of everything. But it's mostly at the beginning, like I said in the second half things get heavier.
Thesets and the costumes were all beautiful, most of the actors were really good (but Seohyun from SNSD was embarrassingly bad. Meaning that she managed to turn tragic scenes in ridiculous ones because her acting was THAT bad). Lee Jung Ki and Kang Ha Neul were AMAZING. Also the cast has the cutestrelationshipoff camera♥
And you know what I really, truly loved? The soundtrack. Both the instrumental one (THIS!!!) and the actual songs (my favourites: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).
So, yeah, it ha sso many issued, but overall I was too invested and loved it.
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Jimi ni Sugoi!
The most accurate title ever. This drama doesn't have a particularly exciting plot, shocking revelations, tragedies etc, it's "normal" but nice. It made me laugh a lot and go all doki doki.
I loved how the romance was there but wasn't the main focus. Ecchan is a great and strong lady (I loved her!) and it's nice that herself, her work, her dream and desires come before any guy. She isn't afraid to say that she started being interested in a guy because he had a nice face, she calls out any bullshit she comes across. She has a questionable fashion sense, but she's adorable and I don't care (I've never liked any of the Ishihara Satomi's characters I've seen in dramas, I'm happy that I liked Etsuko so much).
In the first episodes I shipped her and Yukito soooo much (their first talk on that bench in ep 2? I replayed 200 times), they were really cute. But after a bit, when whe know that the mutually like each others, they were still cute, but less... I don't know, interesting. But she had the bestchemistrywith Tako THEY WERE PERFECT TOGETHER!
The last episode (also the one about her boss) wasa bit slow and the endind may have not pleased everybody, but it was a really nice drama.
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Nigeru Wa Haji da Ga Yaku ni Tatsu
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Suna no Tou
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Juhan Shuttai!!
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Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
Let's start with the only Korean drama I want to talk about in this post (in the same period I've watched Moonlight Drawn by Clouds too, but I honestly have nothing to say about it other than I found it a bit boring but Park Bo Gum's face is a gift to the humankind. This guys' hair too. I also watched Signal, and it was veeeery good).
Anyway.
Like a looot of people already said, it was a mess. The editing and the writing were terrible and compromised a drama that has an interesting plot. In the 1st episodes the soundtrack-placement was very awkward (music started in weird moments, the volume was often to high), there were few dramatic close ups (you know those from old telenovelas or shows? The close ups when someone reveals something shocking? Those); it's a drama with a lot of time jumps, but they were so random? They often didn't write "2 years later", "the day before" etc, and you had to stop for a second to understand what was happening. Also they made the male lead do a thing (at the end of the 6th episode it I remember correctly) that was 1) not good, 2) quite out of character. And since he's a lovable character, that "stain" bugs me quite a bit.
Ah, and there was a very weird thing: there were 2 different versions of each episode, one that was aired on korean tv, and one that was the "international" version (I suppose for sites like Viki etc). And one of them (the one I watched, I think it was the international version) was few minutes longer, because in the other version they cut some scenes O_O
But! I was OBSESSED. Don't ask me why, it wasn't a rational thing, but I was SO invested in this drama, especially foe the first episodes, it was ridiculous. Obsessed to the point of reloading the page every 5 minutes to see if the subs were out.
The drama is 20 episodes long and I didn't find it boring at all (maybe sometimes in the fist episodes, but not the usual kdrama-boredom); it covers a long period (10 years maybe? Maybe more THEY DIDN'T WRITE THE YEARS IDK) so you can see the characters evolving - in a good or bad way - and things happening. I found the whole game-of-the-throne-thing really interesting and quite compelling.
At the beginning the dramas alternates between fun/cute moments and really serious ones, but the more you go on, the darker it gets. Really. I rarely cry watching kdramas (while I cry watching anything else), but this drama made me cry at least 5 times and I spent the whole last episode sobbing. Seriously, it was a plane-crash-in-Grey's-Anatomy situation. And the ending didn't satisfy me at all (I heard they cut the final scene too??? THOSE FUCKERS).
Most of the characters weren't "good" or "bad", there was a bit of darkness in almost all of them. I loved the male lead, he's just a person you end up rooting for. The female lead was really good too.
Ah, it's an harem drama, so of course there were those ridiculous/surreal situations and the female lead is somehow at the center of everything. But it's mostly at the beginning, like I said in the second half things get heavier.
Thesets and the costumes were all beautiful, most of the actors were really good (but Seohyun from SNSD was embarrassingly bad. Meaning that she managed to turn tragic scenes in ridiculous ones because her acting was THAT bad). Lee Jung Ki and Kang Ha Neul were AMAZING. Also the cast has the cutestrelationshipoff camera♥
And you know what I really, truly loved? The soundtrack. Both the instrumental one (THIS!!!) and the actual songs (my favourites: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).
So, yeah, it ha sso many issued, but overall I was too invested and loved it.
Jimi ni Sugoi!
The most accurate title ever. This drama doesn't have a particularly exciting plot, shocking revelations, tragedies etc, it's "normal" but nice. It made me laugh a lot and go all doki doki.
I loved how the romance was there but wasn't the main focus. Ecchan is a great and strong lady (I loved her!) and it's nice that herself, her work, her dream and desires come before any guy. She isn't afraid to say that she started being interested in a guy because he had a nice face, she calls out any bullshit she comes across. She has a questionable fashion sense, but she's adorable and I don't care (I've never liked any of the Ishihara Satomi's characters I've seen in dramas, I'm happy that I liked Etsuko so much).
In the first episodes I shipped her and Yukito soooo much (their first talk on that bench in ep 2? I replayed 200 times), they were really cute. But after a bit, when whe know that the mutually like each others, they were still cute, but less... I don't know, interesting. But she had the bestchemistrywith Tako THEY WERE PERFECT TOGETHER!
The last episode (also the one about her boss) wasa bit slow and the endind may have not pleased everybody, but it was a really nice drama.
Nigeru Wa Haji da Ga Yaku ni Tatsu
This was quite a surprise too.
The first episodes are a bit meh, things get more interesting from the 3rd episode, because the main characters start developing some feelings for each other.
The whole premise of the show, the relationship between the main couple and the way they work things out in the various episodes are... surreal. Totally, completely surreal. But! They were so cute??? Especially him. Hiramasa san was probably the sweetest creature ever; a romantic relationship with him would drive me crazy but I'd want to punt him on a shelf because he's too cute (he's also really insecure and for that reason I find him relatable XD).
The drama had great success in Japan, and while I've enjoyed it, I didn't find it that much of a masterpiece. Still, it was a nice watch!The first episodes are a bit meh, things get more interesting from the 3rd episode, because the main characters start developing some feelings for each other.
The whole premise of the show, the relationship between the main couple and the way they work things out in the various episodes are... surreal. Totally, completely surreal. But! They were so cute??? Especially him. Hiramasa san was probably the sweetest creature ever; a romantic relationship with him would drive me crazy but I'd want to punt him on a shelf because he's too cute (he's also really insecure and for that reason I find him relatable XD).
Suna no Tou
Few words about it since it was from this fall like the previous two.
I don't have much to say other than it's one of those dramas with adult bullies, suspicious weirdos and criminals with questionable reasons. Especially the bullies part pissed me off so much! They all needed a big slap in the face (it arrives, somehow... at the end), and the main character needed it too.
Matsushima Nanako is so damn creepy, I can't.
I don't have much to say, but it was good? Watch it if you like a drama with some suspance: the director is the same of "Yakou Kanransha" and "N no Tame ni", BUT the scriptwriter is different, so they somehow have a similar vibe, but Suna no Tou isn't as good or "complex" as the other 2. Still, really good.
I don't have much to say other than it's one of those dramas with adult bullies, suspicious weirdos and criminals with questionable reasons. Especially the bullies part pissed me off so much! They all needed a big slap in the face (it arrives, somehow... at the end), and the main character needed it too.
Matsushima Nanako is so damn creepy, I can't.
I don't have much to say, but it was good? Watch it if you like a drama with some suspance: the director is the same of "Yakou Kanransha" and "N no Tame ni", BUT the scriptwriter is different, so they somehow have a similar vibe, but Suna no Tou isn't as good or "complex" as the other 2. Still, really good.
Juhan Shuttai!!
Alternative title: "Oh, no! Everyone is precious!"
This one aired in April, I decided to watch it this december because it had a great success. You know when you watch popular dramas and get very disappointed because they weren't that good (it happens a lot with kdramas)? This wasn't the case, this drama was popular for a reason. It's GOOD.
It's one of those typical jdramas that focus on a particular profession, in this case the "production" of mangas (everytime I read/watch thing about mangakas and the life they live I get sad and anxious because they never rest and can fall down any time. No wonder so many mangakas stopped halfway because they got sick).
Akiko Nogi is the same scriptwriter of many dramas I like, one above all, "Soratobu Kouhoushitsu", and she manages to make "normal" things interesting and, more important, she characterizes well every character, giving them some kind of dept, a backstory. From this point of view, "Juhan Shuttai" is very similar to "Soratobu". You love every character, everyone is, like I said, precious.
There is no romance, maybe hints of it but it's really not the focus. The main lead doesn't even like somebody. She's surrounded by men but she isn't treated in a different way. And she's adorable. But really, everyone is. The fellow editors, the cute Koizumi kun, all the mangakas (if you'll watch it you can't not end up loving Mikurayama sensei!), the assistans, the new authors... everybody.
And the cast was amazing! They were all good, but I was blown away by Nagayama Kento's (Eita's youger brother) performance. I already knew he was quite good, but here he was amazing.
A must-watch!
This one aired in April, I decided to watch it this december because it had a great success. You know when you watch popular dramas and get very disappointed because they weren't that good (it happens a lot with kdramas)? This wasn't the case, this drama was popular for a reason. It's GOOD.
It's one of those typical jdramas that focus on a particular profession, in this case the "production" of mangas (everytime I read/watch thing about mangakas and the life they live I get sad and anxious because they never rest and can fall down any time. No wonder so many mangakas stopped halfway because they got sick).
Akiko Nogi is the same scriptwriter of many dramas I like, one above all, "Soratobu Kouhoushitsu", and she manages to make "normal" things interesting and, more important, she characterizes well every character, giving them some kind of dept, a backstory. From this point of view, "Juhan Shuttai" is very similar to "Soratobu". You love every character, everyone is, like I said, precious.
There is no romance, maybe hints of it but it's really not the focus. The main lead doesn't even like somebody. She's surrounded by men but she isn't treated in a different way. And she's adorable. But really, everyone is. The fellow editors, the cute Koizumi kun, all the mangakas (if you'll watch it you can't not end up loving Mikurayama sensei!), the assistans, the new authors... everybody.
And the cast was amazing! They were all good, but I was blown away by Nagayama Kento's (Eita's youger brother) performance. I already knew he was quite good, but here he was amazing.
A must-watch!
