Hoshi Furu Yoru ni (2023)

Definitely a Gem.

This series was surprisingly good. It is a bit slow paced but it was consistently endearing. I’ve watched many Jdrama’s and this one is by far one of the best I’ve ever seen. Aside from the initial awkward moment, it’s genuinely a well written series. No supremely weak and and easily manipulated females. No forced dating. No weird triangles. Just good friendships, communication and humor. I loved how supportive the friends were towards each other and how they treated each other like family. It was a very warm series. There were some sad moments but so many heartfelt and funny moments too. I highly recommend this and will most certainly put it on my rewatch list.

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Unexpectedly Not Triggering and Heartwarming

As a CNBC (childless-not-by-choice) woman, I tend to avoid plots that would provide lots of potential triggers for me. Although I have accepted life as CNBC for about a decade, there are still some shows that trigger my infertile side. I knew this would be about an ob/gyn clinic, but I was nicely surprised because it wasn't triggering AT ALL. Most likely it's because of the layered aspects of the clinic part. It's not all roses and happy endings for couples or individuals when the female gets pregnant. Things can get complicated. This drama has managed to show a lot of different layers of pregnancy/birth/grief experiences. Different individuals react differently, but the overall tone of this show is positive and heartwarming.

As for the deaf/mute plot, I've seen more serious ones, but this one is kept heartwarming and positive, too. I have a slight problem with the way they dealt with the (spoiler alert) "villain" in this drama, but at the end of the day the way they continued the road with how they dealt with him was still acceptable for me. In some of the scenes, the villain character surprised me with his acting chops, so even though I hoped in real life they would deal with it differently, he got to show more of his acting chops because of the plot.

The dynamics + chemistry between the two main leads are awesome, too, for an age-gap drama. I love the way they communicate with each other. I appreciate the way that (spoiler alert) the ML kept repeating signing "I like/love you" to the FL because he said he didn't want to regret anything. This is something I can relate to and it feels realistic based on his background of losing both his parents. Plus I love the OSTs, so much, especially Yuka's "Hoshizukiyo". It fits the drama and the lyrics are so good. And Doyoung's voice is so soothing and hauntingly beautiful.

This drama has made me ugly-cry so many times. I'd consider this a healing drama. Sometimes healing takes a decade or more...healing from complex grief isn't a straightforward journey. It can take many different twists and turns. This drama also reminds me to cherish the time I have left with my loved ones and that family aren't only made up of blood relations.

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Unbelievable in all the worst ways

Unbelievable crap. The start of it is bad enough. The usual Japanese penchant for men forcing themselves on women and then backing off so that they can be portrayed as caring and considerate. This is the very first scene, so no spoilers here. But then later it's so clear that the writer has zero experience of how a clinic would operate in the circumstances of the plot. Not reporting to the police? Work procedures and regulations anyone? If you have even an ounce of professional work experience this will be so ridiculous as to be unwatchable. Let alone the childish and annoying ML and the token weird characters. I struggled through to Episode 7, before finally drowning in incredulity.

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Noite estrelada ☆

"Eu sinto que as estrelas existem no limite da vida e da morte. Como se elas conectassem os dois. Várias das estrelas que vemos agora, não existe mais. Em vez disso, a luz que elas emitiam há milhares de anos, estão chegando à terra, agora."
Um drama lindo, com o casal mais fofo que existe. A trama não é muito empolgante, mas pelo romance vale a pena. Amei o fato da Suzu ser uma mulher mais velha e não se importar por gostar de um cara bem mais novo que ela, não fez rodeios, não inventou desculpas, não tinha vergonha. Ela realmente se entregou de coração. Issei é a pessoa mais querida do mundo, ele é radiante, não tem como ser uma pessoa triste perto dele. Ele não finge, ele é feliz, e não há motivos para ter pena dele e Suzu o entende. A coisa mais linda é eles conversando em língua de sinais!

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I am normally not into slow-paced dramas, especially when it tries to hard to be serious and funny at the same time, but not quite achieving both. What started out to be as a burgeoning romance (quite rapidly) between a gynecologist in her mid-30s and a happy-go-lucky young man, became more than that. The show tackles many issues surrounding life and death, including people's choices when it comes to childbirth, how people cope with loss, and how people deal with their own insecurities.
Also prominent in this drama is the topic of found family, how blood may not be always thicker than water, and there is no prerequisite when it comes to loving someone.

There's a few things that irked me about this drama, manely (pun intended) the bad hairstyles sported by many characters.
If they were meant to be endearing, they were not. Also, everybody seems to be up in each other's business and coincidentally run or know someone who knows someone. I guess this is typically true of small seaside towns. There are loopholes in how people show up suddenly without any logical reason, because "they just happen to be there."

The saving grace for me is Kitamura Takumi's portrayal of a deaf/mute man who doesn't let his lack of hearing/speaking deter him from enjoying life to the fullest. Hiragi Issei is the anchor that holds everyone together; his big heart injects everybody else with warmth. Issei believes that even broken people are only mean, because they are hurting and deserve love too.

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Learning sign language because of love

I started this drama sometime last year but only watched one episode and then kind of forgot about it. Shame on me. But this year I thought about it again and watched it on two evenings. It was worth it!

The drama is about the 35-year-old gynecologist Suzu. On a starry night she meets Issei, who is ten years younger and works for a packing company that clears out houses of deceased people. Issei is deaf. So the two communicate through gestures and text messages.

The love story is very heartwarming and positive. Issei is such a cheerful young man. His smile is contagious, his charm is enchanting. However, the drama doesn't focus on the couple all the time, but rather on the working lives of the two and their friends.

I wanted to see so many more interactions between Suzu and Issei. They really captivated me. Especially their kiss scenes. I want more. I was happy that Suzu was motivated to learn sign language so quickly. She did great!

What I didn't like was the fact that they didn't call the police during some scenes. I think the villain should have been held more accountable.

Nonetheless I enjoyed this series. It's a wholesome age gap romance about deafness, work life, friendship and healing.

[finished watching on 13 January 2024]

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¿Acaso encontré una serie de confort espectacular? Yo diría que sí.

Bueno, viendo esto llegué a la conclusión de que si no puedo tener a Issei, entonces no quiero a nadie. Les juro que se volvió uno de mis personajes favoritos de la vida (dentro de los doramas). Es extremadamente simpático, cariñoso y muy atento, reconoce cuando se equivoca, está siempre dispuesto a ayudar a los demás y en ningún momento deja que su falta de audición lo defina (con esto parece que estoy diciendo que es tan perfecto que cae en lo irreal, pero no sé por qué se me hizo bastante creíble en contexto jaja).

Suzu también me encantó como protagonista. Ella en sí es divina, pero obvio que la terminé de amar en relación a Issei, por cómo ella, interesada ya en él, aprende lenguaje de señas, lo apoya en todo, etc.

En fin, hace mucho que no veía una pareja tan hermosa como esta. Cada vez que parece que un conflicto tonto está por venir, los personajes tienen una conversación de un minuto y lo solucionan. Una maravilla. Aparte para mí los actores tienen muy buena química (¿Ya dije que amo a Takumi Kitamura? ¿No? Bueno, empecé a ver la serie por él).

Los personajes secundarios en general también me gustaron mucho, tanto los que rodean a Suzu (los empleados de la clínica en la que trabaja) como los empleados del lugar en el que trabaja Issei (donde está Haru, que es su mejor amigo y una cosita adorable con una muy buena historia).

Creo que lo único que no me convenció es EL conflicto que rodea la serie: un hombre acusa de asesina a la prota por la muerte de su esposa embarazada. En sí el conflicto está interesante, pero se alarga mucho y se soluciona muy rápido. Algunos conflictos secundarios también podrían haberse desarrollado más, pero la pareja me gustó tanto (y el personaje de Dean Fujioka, que es el tercer prota, es tan simpático) que no me importó.

Mi idea no era alargar este post más de lo necesario, pero hay un par de aclaraciones que creo necesario hacer:

1) Esta serie, a pesar de tocar algunos temas sensibles (sobre todo relacionados con la muerte), puede que a primera vista les parezca un drama romántico, pero no, es una comedia romántica con todas las letras. ¿Por qué aclaro esto? Porque no tienen que esperar un reflejo realista de cómo funciona una clínica obstétrica, por ejemplo, ya que todo siempre tiene un tono irreal de comedia japonesa (sobre todo en lo referente a los empleados de la misma). Esto no es algo que a mí me haya molestado, de hecho me reí mucho, pero leí algunos comentarios quejándose de eso.

2) El trabajo de Takumi Kitamura es EXCELENTE. ¿Extrañé su voz? Obvio que sí, pero transmite todo tan bien solo con sus gestos que me saco el sombrero.

3) Agradezco que en ningún momento haya una clara bajada de línea con respecto a los embarazos y a lo que deciden hacer las mujeres en cada caso. Más que nada el mensaje que se termina dando es que los médicos no deben meter sus opiniones personales, solo deben actuar según lo que les dicen (hay un personaje que al principio esto no lo entiende y eso genera algunos conflictos. Pero uno comprende por qué es así, ya que tiene que ver con lo que le tocó vivir).

4) La música es muy linda. En general la serie se ve hermosa y se disfruta de principio a fin en cuanto a la producción.

5) Dean Fujioka no actúa mal, pero tiene que aprender a caer de formas más realistas porque en ese apartado es un desastre jaja.

6) Y lo más importante: ¡NO HAY TRIÁNGULO AMOROSO!

Ahora sí creo que no tengo nada más para decir. A pesar de los detalles flojos que tiene, se las recomiendo un montón. Véanla y mueran de ternura con la pareja principal.

•IG DE RESEÑAS CORTAS: @altoplottwist

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Just perfectly adorable

This might be my new comfort watch. The leads are likeable and there is no unnecessary drama. It's a love story. Simple. Doesn't need bells and whistles. It's got a charming cast who you end up caring about in a short 9 episode arc. I will be looking for more with Takumi Kitamura who is a hug personafied.
As the main FL is a gynecologist there are some pregnancy problem storylines which may trigger some though it is very well done.
It's currently free to watch on viki but with ads. So, unfortunately if I want a quick Takumi fix to a certain kiss scene it is hard to jump to it. Lol, only complaint

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The show gracefully explores life, healing, and love.

"On A Starry Night" is a lovely Japanese show about life, love, and finding happiness. Imagine a quiet seaside town where two characters, Suzu and Issei, lead us through their stories.

Meet Issei, a lively guy who happens to be Deaf. But guess what? The show doesn't make a big deal about it. Issei's zest for life steals the spotlight, and actor Kitamura Takumi makes his character shine with enthusiasm and authenticity.

Then there's Suzu, an older doctor who's feeling a bit worn out. Yoshitaka Yuriko brings her to life, showing us Suzu's strength and how she learns to heal. The seaside setting adds a calm touch, making it almost like a character in the story.

The best part? Issei and Suzu's connection. They make an unlikely pair, with an age gap and different experiences, but their relationship is genuine. The show avoids the usual drama clichés and instead focuses on their support for each other.

While some might find the story a bit simple, it's perfect for those who love slow, peaceful tales. It's like a break from the rush of the real world, giving us a chance to appreciate the little moments.

Issei's Deafness is just a part of who he is, not the whole story. The drama teaches us to look past our differences and see people for who they really are. It's a call for everyone to be included and appreciated.

In the end, "On A Starry Night" is a heartwarming journey through life's ups and downs. The actors, especially Kitamura Takumi and Yoshitaka Yuriko, make us feel all the emotions. If you're up for a gentle, thoughtful show that feels like a warm hug, this one's for you.

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Sweet, but I wasn't feeling the chemistry

Liked:
Kitamura Takumi as Issei. His soulful eyes and his expressions were a joy to watch. He conveyed so much without saying a word. I also liked the silence when we were seeing things from his point of view. He couldn't hear, but in no way did he feel sorry for himself. I found him to be very endearing and believable.
I enjoyed most of the friendships, and the fact that they didn't skate around Issei's deafness, but he had a stalwart friend that could translate for him, and others were willing to learn sign language in order to communicate with him.
The main couple was cute, but chemistry was lacking.

Unfortunately, there were a few characters that were completely over-the-top. I notice this in a lot of Japanese shows. I feel like they want to turn things into a farce, and then move back to being serious. It spoils the mood for me.

It's an easy watch, and I'd recommend it for Kitamura Takumi.

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Right Time

First time writing review after so many dramas. I almost never give 9 and 10 for shows unless I love them, they stick with me, and I want to rewatch.

I must have just watched this at the right time for me because I found it the perfect blend of silly and endearing with a dash of thrill and romance. No it is not a big budget production but just a simple story that I thought was told well.

Nice music and warm relationships all over make it feel like hot cocoa on a rainy day. The shorter length that jdramas tend to have was a nice change up for me too. Other dramas and particularly cdramas can become their own worst enemy with too many episodes on stories that don't need it. This one hit the sweet spot where you get to know a little bit about almost everyone. I began to be attached to everyone and could easily see more stories about this little troupe of folks that made a found family.

I would recommend it to everyone who needs a brain break. It's not a huge time investment and you will prolly smile at least once :-)

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