Hanzawa Naoki marks my somewhat introduction into Japanese dramas. To be honest, I rarely ever watch Japanese dramas. As I mentioned to a dramalist friend, even though they are better written than K-dramas and feature genres that I like, I still can't quite watch J-dramas consistently. The retro pacing makes it hard to instantly fall in love with a J-drama and if I'm not in the mood to invest myself in a plot, it means I gloss over master pieces like olive oil.

Now, Hanzawa Naoki though is the best written thing (closely tied with Legal High) that I have watched in a while. I think it's my irritation with K-dramas that led me slap bang into this masterpiece and boy was this a thrilling journey.

This is the tale of Hanzawa. A banker embroiled in banking politics (really). The story is told in two parts with Hanzawa constantly in difficult situations. He must outsmart, outplay and outlast. Indeed, I do hate to steal the survivor logo but that is what his life entails.

It is a well written tale full of engaging characters and it's been a long time since I have liked both the protagonist and antagonist (Normally, I like the antagonist). I really liked the antagonist (Owada) in the second part. He happens to be smart, flawed yet quite charming. Kagawa Teruyuki who played his role also did a phenomenal job. The climax of this story gave me chills. CHILLS I tell you. It was powerful, raw, well acted brilliantness that actually stunned me to silence.

However, despite the well written moments, there are feel good moments that are not for the cynic. I happen to be one of those cynics and the feel good moments induced some mega cringing. The declarations of friendship and super hero-esque moments weren't for me. Although, for the most part, the drama manages to create an anti-hero vibe especially in regards to Hanzawa's character. He is merciless in exacting revenge which is exactly my cup of tea. I like them devilish and certain.

I'm all over the place with this review but I get tongue tied sometimes trying to describe stories like this. There's so much to tell yet it's difficult to focus on one thing. Overall, a strong recommendation with minimal flaws.

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It's been a long time since I struggled to rate a movie and even now I'm not sure how I feel about it. For one, emotions came first in this. There was very little room for me to ponder on things because of the way this movie delivered. However, in the end, I found myself a touch disappointed because while the movie approached this topic very intellectually, it still felt a touch hesitant, a touch too cautious and a little muddled.

The biggest reason being that this movie at times felt a touch too muddled in what it was trying to convey. It deeply explores an issue very well but yet not deeply enough. Deep issues are at times downplayed due to very stereotypical assumptions, and the end for me felt like a cop out. I admit, that viewpoint can be countered but I felt in the grand scheme of things, it allowed the audience to still retain their view of "normalcy". However, this isn't what made me dock points largely.

This movie deals with a topic that I rarely see and as a review mentioned, where a man trying to become a woman isn't the butt of a joke. Here, there is no laughter, little room for it. This movie cleverly approaches the topic as it takes this Herculean and manly guy who isn't happy with himself. He wants to become a woman. It creates an interesting and refreshing dichotomy as here is a guy who can easily fight any man and easily conquer a horde of attacking gangs yet he wants to be a woman.

The strong point is definitely Cha Seung Won's character (Ji Wook) and he carries this movie for me. The rest of the plot for me is kind of fodder as are a bunch of the characters. There were certain characters in here that for me had no legitimate reason to be here or to be included in the story as they were. Mainly because they muddle vs aid the story. There are other characters though I recognize their importance because they add to Cha Seung Won's character. For example, the antagonist here the sub-leader of a gang and while I find his character to add very little in terms of plot, he brings out Ji Wook's character. What I mean is that most of the action sequences come from the interaction between the two which allows for the story to cement the manly image that Ji Wook has. However, while a good portion of the action scenes are relevant, I have to pick a bone with a good number of them. I feel this way about a lot of movies and dramas that bring to the table an unsettling topic or a very intelligent topic. There are always dramatic actions sequences involved. Yes, it's a way for the director to sell the plot but it would be nice to just directly approach the topic. In this case, the topic is interesting enough to be the sole focus. I just feel that the action sequences at times distract from the main topic.

On a personal note, there were quite a few things in this movie I wish I could alter. I also wish I could make this movie go hard in terms of really exploring this theme. I feel like this movie should have shocked the viewer more than it did. It makes it feel a little regrettable in that regard. Nonetheless, definitely one to watch.

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It must be said that Goblin is very much a somewhat cliché rom-com disguising itself as something else, but ultimately, what appears to be an interesting premise is cast aside for a romantic plot that I'm going to be honest is a little creepy and at times feels very fatherly to me. This makes it very hard to love the romance especially when the female lead is a bubble of cutesy energy and also she borderline looks twelve. There were moments I wanted to run into the scene and tell Gong Yoo, you get the hell away from her and date someone your own age. Yes, that, 782 age gap was at times hard to swallow.

What makes Goblin good is it's featuring. It stars longing looks, teary-eyed longing looks, bromance, ignoring that he is 800 years old, trying to pretend you are not watching this because of the bromance and good looking leads and KES's obligatory three good episodes towards the end that makes you think this is so good. It also stars a very good performance by Lee Dong Wook. I'd like to say the rest of the cast were just as good, but I'd be lying. Gong Yoo is someone, I watch because he is in good movies (The Crucible/Silenced, etc) but not because he gives an actual good performance. He's like a Brad Pitt type in that regard. I was quite surprised by LDW as I find him heavily attractive and have for a long time but I've admitted he's a terrible actor. Suddenly he is Matthew McConaughaying me. The female lead is literally a copy paste of all rom-coms. Especially from this writer.

The intro of this drama is unique and creates what has the potential to be a very good plot, but ultimately this is a meandering slow stream of a journey that I heavily recommend you skip some episodes. Yes, skip from ep 5 to 13 and you'll miss very little. The juicy parts of the plot are thrown aside for a slew of teary-eyed longing looks and cliché romantic scenes that at ep 4, I started to wonder when they were actually going to focus on the juicy premise.

Character wise, the bromance sells this stale plot as personally, the romance between the male and female lead just looks awkward. I should be gushing at romantic scenes but they look as uncomfortable as I do and when Gong Yoo pats her head, he at times feels like her father. The drama has a lot of potential but the writer didn't seem to know what to do with it and I feel like a traitor who deserves to be hanged for saying this, but as a huge lover of bromance, dare I say it, I actually got bored of the bromance. I started tuning in to cast longing looks at Lee Dong Wook. My obsession made me run out into the street and jump in front of a car, but I heavily recommend you don't do that as the Grim Reaper never appeared and now I'm writing this in the afterlife.

The writer here also inserts her I suckered you into thinking this was good by having her obligatory three good episodes that make me think, Oh this has potential. It's always towards the end too. Melancholic episodes with good editing that make me wonder where was this for the previous ten episodes? I feel the drama is a seven at best as in, I would be very generous to give it a 7. It has its good melancholic and humorous scenes but it ultimately never quite gets its pacing right and never seems to know what to focus on making this really not as good as it could be.

PS. I also urge you to cast aside any logical questions you might have especially towards the end. They will not be answered.

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I’ll start by saying, to some extent I almost wish I’d never found this drama. I’m at the end and it’s genuinely a painful experience. As if I will be parting with a friend and there may not be an experience like this again.

This drama was found randomly. Bored on a Saturday, haven’t touched a drama in a year, I decided to go back to my masochistic ways of torturing myself with plots I never finish. My dropped list speaks volumes. Signed on to viki, laughed at the corny name and thought this would be a parody but boy was I wrong!

This drama has wrecked everything. I have never watched a drama like this. I am the fickle and picky type who even if there’s a drama I like, interest wanes at around the ten episode mark as dramas recede to known formulas as they run out of ideas. This drama I reached episode 30 in feverish captivation, 5 AM, episode 15, forcing myself awake and splashing water on my face. At work it was blood shot eyes, yawns and excuses of not sleeping well. Not of course that a Chinese drama has taken over my life that I don’t answer phone calls.

Now that I’ve rambled, here’s the review.

This is just so expletively interesting and catered to my tastes that this drama is at this point is probably the best drama I’ve ever watched. The story at the surface is a battle for the throne but it is layered with well complemented sub plots and revelations that shook me.

The story is of a political nature and so well-crafted it’s almost disgusting. I tell you, two guys talking politics has never been so interesting. The central character of this storyline is Mei Chang Su. A brilliant and ailing strategist with a hidden agenda that unfolds throughout the story. He is the most realistic hero we’re possibly ever going to get. He’s caring but also a realist. Ready and willing to recognize that sacrifices have to be made in order to fulfill his goal. He’s adorable, arrogant, and brilliant yet also such a devastating character. He’s main goal is to make one of the prince’s the emperor, his reasons, you’ll have to watch to know.

The antagonists in this story truly elevate this plot. There will be different antagonists as this is a fight for the throne. However, each antagonist is different and just as well done as the main hero. The villains in this tale also have their own stories, their own agendas and ambitions which at times captivates you. They’re not in this story solely to antagonize the hero for some mundane reasons. There are also these emotional moments where we are forced into sympathy for some of these villains, forced to understand them and it’s frighteningly delightful.

Other than the antagonists, the supporting characters definitely brighten and add to this drama. In a lot of dramas, a lot of the supporting characters are fodder, but in this, they induce humor or simple bitter sweet moments that make you remember them. Female characters are also a bonus that is done well.

I swear if all political dramas were this well crafted, I would be a happy gal. It's the perfect blend of well thought out strategies and my gosh, when was the last time you watched a drama with a well thought out strategy? I'll start by saying none even match up to this.

To end this, I confess, I know nothing of the actors and don't really ever venture into Chinese dramas (I've held the opinion they are pretty terrible...) yet weirdly, two of my favorite historical dramas (This and Scarlet heart) have come from China.

As my name suggests, here is a picky musing that doesn't really change anything about this drama.

Passage of time – I swear winter lasted about thirty episodes even though about only half a year had passed. It’s not particularly jarring but at times, I do wonder how much time has passed as it’s somewhat ambiguous but the drama cleverly lets you know when characters interact. It’s actually brilliantly done. Simple lines like “It’s been half a year since you came to the capital.” Nonetheless, I feel like this whole drama passed in the winter, with a splice of summer but my strongest memories are the puffs of air from the characters.

I'm definitely giving this a masterpiece rating because this marks the first time I have ever watched this many episodes of any drama period. Plus, I can't think of anything significant that stopped me from enjoying this plot.

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I was evidently charmed by the first season otherwise I would not have made it to the second. In honesty, I liked both equally and while the drama retains its initial characteristics, it still suffers from a few flaws not as evident in the first season.

The cast is slightly altered and as opposed to the arch nemesis Miki in the first season, we gain the pretty boy Hanyu who will challenge Komikado in court.

The drama is still very charming and hilarious. Komikado is his over the top satirical self that still captivates you through the whole season. The writing is decent and is still comedically very strong, however, let's get down to the flaws. Some events felt ill planned and made the script feel just a tad loose. I'm a fan of plot twists when done right but this left me a little underwhelmed and felt quite forced. It felt like a "hey, let's connect shit and make it look like we planned it all along." Yeah, it just wasn't riveting.

Furthermore, I felt the legal and philosophical aspects in this drama were not as crisp as the first season. Especially, in regards to Hanyu's character. His goal is to make everyone happy through law but I expected the drama to tackle that issue more creatively. I mean really what the hell does that even mean? It may sound like a dumb question but I have to hold myself back on going on a rant of what exactly happiness is if not bursts of temporary feelings induced by different things. Should we use a utilitarian perspective to determine happiness? I digress, but really, most of the time, Hanyu's happiness philosophy made me want to throw my hands up. It eventually just made me accept his philosophy as nothing more than a word. After all, to create a utopia, you must first understand and define what exactly a utopia is. Nonetheless, let's let that slide.

I really liked the growth of both Komikado and Mayuzumi but it wasn't enough. I still lust after Komikado's personal history and should there be another season, I really hope we get more than crumbs about his history. In fact, it was one of the things, I really wish was touched upon in the first season more. I want that history! However, in terms of Mayuzumi, I felt her character developed the most. She becomes clearer about what her goals are and is much stronger in court.

Nonetheless, this drama still makes me anticipate another season because the characters still remain very well done. While the plot is not as solid as the first season, it is still very decent. I still marvel at the ability of the writers to consistently be humorous yet very strong. I look forward to another season.

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Convoluted plots and too many side characters take away from the plot.

This is a show that to preface my review could have easily been great, but was bogged down by too many characters and subplots and a pretty bland main story line with mediocre revelations and underwhelming scheming.

The story centers around Zhou Zi Shu and Wen Ke Xing. The story is unapologetic about the relationship between these two leads who have a deep and profound connection. It does not make attempts to stray from trying to show their connection which surprised me as I watched the show.

Unfortunately, other than the relationship between the two leads, they don’t particularly captivate me. The story introduces multiple different characters, and different subplots that really make the plot not as cohesive. They don’t particularly drive the story and ultimately just make it unnecessarily convoluted. As different subplots fought for my attention, I found myself caring less and less about the leads. There are different people fighting for power and this leads to some glaring plot holes and just underwhelming revelations. The main plot line never really captures my interest as it’s got too many elements involved that on deeper reflection just don’t make sense.

If you’re not accustomed to wuxia/xianxia dramas, the bad CGI and mediocre fight scenes are glaring. The sets are not particularly good, and a lot of the scenes are not set in a way that immerses you into them. I’m accustomed to the genre in terms of both dramas and the novels, so I know what to expect, but for those who don’t, the mediocre production does stick out. The fight scenes for me are also bizarre in that the canon fodder characters have better choreographed fight scenes than the leads. There’s genuinely so much slow motion fighting one can take. To this day, the most memorable fight scene in this drama for me does not involve the leads.

Where this drama shines is in its power to strangely tug at your heart strings. It could have easily gotten a far better grade if I’d cared about the characters a little more, but because there were too many convoluted subplots, I felt strangely apathetic towards the main characters. However, even if you can predict the emotional scenes, they do a great job at biting at your heart. There were many times I was tempted to drop this but I hang on due to some stellar emotional scenes. The problem of course is the memorable scenes for me do not involve the leads who are what should be driving the story.

Overall, a drama that could have shined if it had ironed out the main plot better, focused on the leads more and erased some of the complicated subplots that don’t add anything to the actual storyline.

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It's difficult determining how to go about reviewing this but from my score, it easily goes down as the best comedy I've watched in a very long time. Heck, I can't even think of a comedy that has not only been consistent but made me laugh so hard from the first episode. However, amidst the outrageous comedy is actually a very well written script. How the writers manage to play with both serious and light hearted topics, mystified me through this whole journey. I kept marvelling at how well crafted it was. For one, the law is far better done than some of the higher rated and serious dramas. *Cough* Won't VOICE out any names *cough* It creatively tackles topics with two very different characters as they both utilize their own philosophy to explore issues.

Legal High focuses on Komikado Keisuke who is a genius of a lawyer who has yet to lose a case. He picks cases driven solely boy one thing,money. He is over the top, hilarious and an absolutely captivating character. He's a blend of immaturity, charisma and at times raw and powerful emotions. His partner is the naive and innocent Mayuzumi Machiko who is surprisingly not irritating. Normally, this is the type of character that I absolutely despise. The self-righteous preachy type who wants the world to be butterflies and rainbows- however, she is very charming in her own way. She for one sticks to her philosophy but also acknowledges its flaws. This partnership makes for some of the most "laugh out loud" moments I have ever had in a drama.

Overall, this is a hilarious yet very well done script. The writers did a phenomenal job not only developing the characters but giving them distinct and memorable personalities. The humor does not get in the way of plot progression or even distract from the issue. It serves as a good compliment to the overall plot and by the end of this season, I was more than thrilled to hear there was a second which I have also finished. I rarely ever seek out second seasons in dramas. Heck, it's an incredibly difficult challenge for me to ever finish a drama much less get passed the fourth episode. I jot this down as an over the top yet highly recommended comedy. Do not pass this up.

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I'm honestly surprised I made it to the end because I thought when I started I wouldn't be hear till the end. I honestly heard about heirs when it was 14 episodes in. I was told it was bloody awful and I would seriously hate it, but surprise surprise, it is an addictive mess that I might recommend. I think it's my lack of expectations but I enjoyed it. There's a lot of bashing and trolling which I think is based on the fact that a lot of people think this is similar to Boys Over Flowers which was pretty damn awful, but it's not quite.

Indeed, a heck of a lot of first world problems but the story is still interesting. I would love to say the characters are interesting but Kim Tan played by Lee Min Ho, is dull uninteresting and a character we have to take at face value. He lacks any real power or motivation that I am an emotional rock to his pain and even when he's taking action, it just feels very face value. He never in the end has to work hard to make things happen. Eunsang is equally dull and boring and so devoid of power, it's frightening. She almost makes no decision herself. She is dragged around and toyed with everywhere. She is also either bipolar or strange. There are moments she seems genuinely frightened at Young Do to the point of shaking then the next moment she is lecturing him, making us confused. No worries though, should she be in any real trouble there are countless men willing to save her.

The saving grace is Young Do and it's not because I like Kim Woo Bin because I genuinely liked Young Do's character. He's a self aware mess. He's very aware of his flaws but he still makes no attempt to fix them because he's not ready to acknowledge his pain. It makes for a compelling character who's flawed yet to some extent understandable.

The best part of the series are the last three episodes, not because the series ends but the directing is stellar, the acting picks up a notch and the script really delivers. There are very simple and poignant moments that transcend this drama from being a guilty pleasure to genuinely enjoyable.

However, overall, points were docked for my indifference to the two main characters and a lot of this cast. Some nonsensical plot devices and character changes. There was just a lot honestly, that didn't necessarily need to be there. I must also admit, at the end the conflicts were kind of unnecessary and also nonsensical.

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There are very few movies, if any, that can top Old Boy but the rest of the movies in the Vengeance series for me are pretty stellar and hold their own. Despite the theme of vengeance, it's dealt out in different ways which makes each movie unique in its own way.

The atmosphere in this for me is not as gritty as Old Boy or Lady Vengeance which actually really aids the movie. This movie unlike the other two has one huge plus in my books. It's that there's no true villain. The tipping point of this movie is a result of carelessness that actually tugs at your heart and make you feel sympathetic for one of the main characters.

This cast is just as stellar featuring Song Kang Ho and a young Shin Ha Kyun who is actually what made me watch this. He plays a mute who lives with his sister and is in a relationship with Bae Doona's character. In an attempt to gain money, he and his girlfriend attempt a kidnapping that unfortunately does not fully materialize the way they had planned it. This triggers a vengeance cycle

What this movie excels in is deriving sympathy for both lead characters. There are no true villains here and vengeance here is triggered by a simple yet heart breaking moment of bad circumstances. There's some very well done symbolism and imagery in this portion of the story that makes this movie distinctly memorable for me.

However, If you've read any of my other reviews concerning the Vengeance series. I warn constantly of the director's dragging and also distracting sub plots. You will indeed have to sit through some less than interesting bits to get to the meat of the plot. I'd like to add though that you truly should finish regardless. However, let me just continue to beat a dead horse with my typical comment in regards to almost anything Park Chan Wook directs. His movies should seriously end at a certain point. He needs to go to finishing camp because honestly, the man needs to learn how to adequately end a movie without feeding us unnecessary commentary in an attempt to sound deep.

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To be honest, this movie is a masterpiece but I still can't find it in me to give it a ten because it's not perfect. It's more a 9.5 in that it is very close to perfection. For one, you have to sit through a lot to get to the meat of the plot and once you do, it will blow your socks off! It's a riveting tale of vengeance unlike any other. Hideously original and captivating and I don't say that loosely. At the end, I was screaming like a little girl telling everyone, you have to watch this. However, the ending is very typical of Park Chan Wook who for some odd reason feels a necessity to over reach. A lot of his movies should end at a certain point but he always unnecessarily drags the ending by adding scenes that have no importance. However, the movie delivered in a way that I hadn't expected.

This movie is hideously raved about and every time, something is raved about like this, I go in with cynicism and even as I tried to resist this, I was sucked in and it has become one of my favorite movies. The great Choi Min Sik starres in this as an "ajeossi" who is randomly imprisoned for fifteen years. He is then freed with a burning curiosity. The need to find out why he was imprisoned for fifteen years. That truly is the plot and of course there's so much more and if I say anymore it becomes a spoiler as this requires you to take on a camera lense view in also trying to find out why. Why did his captor do this? It's what kept me till the end even though some moments dragged and I thought some moments were pointless until the ending. There is a huge twist that is guaranteed to blow your mind.

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After the sixth episode this was easily on my favorites list not because the plot is relatively original or mind blowing, but it is very well done and something rarely seen in K-dramas. However, Lord of the Flies by William Golding and the japanese manga and anime Monster have done a great job with this concept.

The reason this does not quite get a ten from me is that I'm a tough grader and while it does not have many flaws, it still has some. For one, thrilling moments in this plot are triggered by coincidences or fate. I feel like for such a well done and thrilling drama that seems a little ridiculous. Seven students of the top private school in Korea receive a letter that compels them to stay in school for the holidays. First of all, this school is known for its rigorous and strict rules and you're telling me seven students are going to stay in a school they consider a jail just because they received a letter... Yeah, okay. As a person who went to boarding school can I just attest that no threatening letter would have stopped me from going home.

In the midst of the mysterious letter, an injured stranger appears around the school area seeking help. A person ends up dead and hence starts the mystery. Who has sent the letter and are the deaths connected to the letter? Dun Dun Dun *mysterious music*

Nonetheless, the story is amazing though yes, a point was docked as towards the end, yet another mysterious person appears which honestly was slightly overdone. Furthermore, the fundamental question of this is never quite answered. It somewhat takes a cop out. The question being a nature and nurture type of question. Are monsters born that way or are they made? Well, that is ultimately left to your interpretation. There are moments where this drama feels tangled in it's own philosophy and doesn't quite know where to go. However, despite what seems like a negative review, the characters are absolutely great, the plot very well done and the directing is stellar. The acting is also fantastic and this drama engaged me to no end. I watched episode after episode with little pause. A strong recommendation.

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With more deaths than a Shakespearean novel, I bring to you Hwayi. A movie that has a promising premise but ultimately turns out to be a disappointment as it throws away the concepts it struggles to build.

It tells the tale of a kidnapped boy(Hwayi) who is raised by five murderers. Hwayi’s journey though is one of self-discovery as he attempts to discover who he is in more ways than one. First is the topic of his identity as circumstances lead to him discovering that he was kidnapped as a boy. Hence begins his quest to figure out who he is. Amidst this he is also on a journey of self-discovery as he floats in between normalcy and the violent environment that he’s in. Then is also family love as he discovers his new family but is also rooted to his old one. Then you have a story that is looser than than than a one size fits all dress.

Unfortunately, while Hwayi seems deep, it is just very lack luster that it leaves the whole movie feeling tedious and lost. Most of the supporting characters in this movie such as the cops lend absolutely nothing to the plot at all. Another unnecessary addition is the stereotypical action scenes that don't need to be there. The chase scenes are ridiculous and look so low budget you have a hard time believing it. Ultimately they lend nothing to the movie other than the dragged out time. A lot of concepts are thrown in here, but they are never well done making the movie have very few compelling moments. The only decent action sequences come from a few fights but a majority of the movie is gun usage which is terribly done. At some of the action scenes, bullets kind of seem to materialize out of no where and it’s not evident who is shooting who.

The movie, transcends mediocrity (just a little) due to two people. Hwayi played by Yeo Jin Gu and one of his fathers played by Kim Yoon Suk. They both blend in to the gray tinged tones of the movie very well and as characters, really lift this lackluster plot. However, despite the magnificent acting displayed by both, ultimately, there’s almost nothing that is truly focused on and sharpened. It deals with the concept of monsters but completely throws that concept under the rag with what is somewhat of a plot twist. I'm apprehensive about calling it that because it’s neither compelling nor triggers my interest much. It deals with self-discovery but that concept also suffers a bigger death than most of the characters in the movie. It deals with family life but that is also just not developed enough and ultimately, there is nothing that really sticks. When you think it is going somewhere, it takes a completely different direction.

At the end of this journey, I found myself beyond disappointed. The script is just mediocre and I really wish the writer would have made it tighter. The more you watch, the less stellar it is and frankly, it did not need the length that it had. The only pros to this are the good acting which lend a hand to the few compelling moments. The compelling moments come from the moments of self-conflict such as when Hwayi hesitates to shoot but there are moments when he hesitates but mere seconds later does and you're just there going… For a move that seems heavy in philosophy, it really should have explored its themes better. Furthermore, the conclusion for me was just terrible. Another unnecessary addition to leave us with an ill placed "feel good" moment. Furthermore, because the relationship between the two characters involved was barely developed, it was just another scratch in the head.

Overall, underwhelming due to a scattered plot.

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To be honest, an eight seems too generous yet a seven seems too low but I settled on an eight because I really enjoyed this movie more than some of the raved about ones. I went into this with high yet also low expectations. For one, it's been parodied and referenced a lot. Furthermore, the rave reviews made me lower my expectations because I have gone into a lot of raved about movies and dramas only to come out beyond disappointed.

In The Face Reader, Song Kang Ho starred as a famed physiognomist. His ability is so good that he attracts the attention of even the king and he is soon thrust into politics. The political era is one of strife as Prince Sungyang played by Lee Jung Jae lusts after the throne.

The story in movie fashion is a bit dramatised. There were moments it wasn't even Face reading, it was borderline fortune telling. As in, there were moments when Kang Ho's character just pretty much predicted the future as opposed to physiognomy. Strictly speaking, he looked at one of the character's face and told him he would be beheaded. Frankly, that was a touch ridiculous because that really isn't even physiognomy. The only reason this works is because we are in the present and the script is about the past so anything he predicts of course happens because history has happened.

However, the story is well written. It has touches of humor that are not ill placed amidst a serious and well done plot. There are some good emotional scenes that are well acted and overall it leads to a satisfactory performance; enough to even make me tolerate Lee Jong Suk. Now, I have nothing against the boy, but I felt his lack of experience and acting just made some scenes fall slightly short. In fact, most of his emotional scenes are with the veteran actors and he is heavily saved by them.

Unfortunately, I have one gripe and that is with the ending because I thought it ended, oh but there's another scene and this is surely the end, but oh no, here's another scene and surely this is the end... Oh no, not yet, then finally the end. I was honestly going, my goodness just end already. There were multiple concluding scenes and I almost thought I was in a Park Chan Wook movie because he really likes dragging the end. I mean they even do that concluding comments of "so and so became a monk five years later and died in 1456..." but it doesn't even end after those comments! Other than that, I recommend this.

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Well, there hasn't been a drama that has challenged my beliefs like this in a long time. Not just with the plot but also with the discussions in class. This drama is a fresh approach to teaching that really challenged my morals.

For one, I believe there is one specific moment that makes viewers uncomfortable but really is a moment that also makes you re-evaluate your beliefs. Is he wrong? Is having a fantasy without acting on it a flaw? It also shows you that Suzuki sensei isn't perfect. This drama opens up room for debate about different topics. For instance, Is the fantasy wrong if you don't act on it? These are opinions though that I rarely publicize because as the drama portrays constantly, people are so rooted in their beliefs they leave very little leeway for discussion. Yet at the same time, you have to acknowledge that you are also one of those people rooted in their own beliefs and values.

Hence, this proved a quirky and thought provoking drama with one of the freshest approaches to teaching. Furthermore, it really requires a certain type of maturity from the viewer to really absorb the discussion. Did Suzuki sensei creep me out at times? Yes and that is a testament to my values. Well, to get down to this review.

This story centers around Suzuki sensei. A teacher with a very unconventional teaching method. He must tackle difficult issues that surround his middle school class all while encouraging them to grow. The story is loaded with mature topics that provoke the viewer. It might make you uncomfortable yet also change you. The acting is also strongly believable and while there are some slight exaggerations in regards to the characters and topics, the show retains a rather mundane theme. There are no excessive speeches and exaggerated acting for the most part, which creates a slice of life type of atmosphere that makes it easier to absorb the content. I strongly recommend this, definitely one of the best.

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This has almost nothing to do with Korean history or politics at all. It is honestly a melodrama set in an important historical background to sucker anyone looking for something intellectual to watch. However, the plot ultimately revolves around the female lead for no reason other than the two male leads stereotypically loving her. Does she possess any amazing qualities? None whatsoever, she has a faux strength about her in the beginning but spends most of the drama being captured and rescued. She then unsurprisingly falls for Joo Won's character because he is the male lead and such is the way of the Korean drama. There are numerous stupid plot holes like the mindless gun usage. Bullets never hit anyone unless it's convenient. Furthermore, people actually engage in hand to hand command despite having guns. However, ultimately this plot dies at about episode 8 for me when it becomes a matter of gritting my teeth through the repetitive plot and fast forwarding. Japanese imperialism is so down played it is shocking. It starts out political to some extent but then politics simply becomes wall paper. This is most definitely not the drama to learn anything about Japanese Imperialism which is what suckered me to watch this melodrama disguised as a political drama.

Seriously, this is a melodrama. Let's not sugarcoat it. It's a melodrama.

What makes me rage is IT HAD SO MUCH POTENTIAL. I had these same feelings when I watched Warrior Baek Dong Soo where as I participated through discussions every week after episodes, it became rants about how to fix the drama verses me actually watching. To the point people started joking I should do a remake because it would be better.

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